Finale

Yaaa not the best week for me either. I was a little up in weight from last week... but I'm still grateful that I lost 9 lbs at the end of it all. Thanks for all your guys support!

Score: 698

(I was really hoping that I would have any scores below 700... poop. Oh well)

so proud

I am so proud of braedon and katie. i cant believe with all the craziness of christmas they got a perfect score. wow do they deserve to win. way to be. i really have no idea what my score is so i will just give myself 500. i am not going to win anyway so i decided it really doesn't matter. i am going to try to do good from today until friday so i feel good about myself. i have already screwed up over the weekend so to end with 4 days of goodness would be nice. i still really like doing this game even if i dont win. for 50.00 it is worth just keeping me making better choices then i would have made. i have talked to some of my past teammates and they said since they have not done this through the holidays they have gained back all their weight and their new habits have gone down the toilet so that is why it is worth the money to help keep you on track! Lets end great and congrats to those that conquered!

Braedon's and Katie's Scores

We are almost at the end of this thing! Crazy! I can't believe we only have one week left. I'm so glad that you guys invited us into this game. It's changed our lives and hopefully we can keep that change going.

Katie's: 720
Braedon's: 720

MERRY CHRISTMAS!! :)

loser!

I am such a loser, i only got 628! the good thing is, i gained two pounds last week and i am down 4.8 this week so that is awesome. I just need to get my exercise, and eating under control. i am having a hard time getting snacks in again. oh well, better luck next week.

Why? why? and why?

Every week i tell myself that this will be my perfect week. With only 2 weeks left, i need to actually do what i tell myself. I am going to have 2 perfect weeks if it kills me!!! But for now i will report my more than sucky score.
666. (pure evil).

Another Week Down!

Woot! I see that end day coming closer and closer. My weight loss has apparently decided to slow down... I only lost about .2 of a pound. Kinda disappointing. But oh well - gotta remember loss is a loss and I just gotta keep working!

Score for this week: 720.

Woo Hoo!

So, my habits are kicking me in the butt. Freaking I forgot to floss my teeth three times this week! And...I bit my nails twice. I almost wasn't going to count one of them, but...gotta be honest. But, man am I just shedding the pounds. and dang does it feel good. Only 15 pounds but already I can see a difference.

Anyways, 690 is my score for this week. Just watch out habits, i'm coming after you this week!

IMPRESSED!

I must say I am sooooooo impressed that you all did so well with all the stress this week. This is the first time in doing this game on I have had to lose points on sleep! so many sleepless nights with worry that I got penalized severely. And wow, who in the world had time for exercise this week. I was up early in the morning and going until late at night. I guess I could have exercised at 4 in the morning! LOL. Well, it is obvious that I don't handle stress well! better luck this week! Kudos to all of you though, well done!

Braedon's Score:

Good thing we get freebies because I used every single one of mine this week! It's been a stressful week for sure.

My score: 710

Katie's Score Week 5

I'm ready for this week to be over! It's been very stressful... but once the GRE is over tomorrow, I am going to fully enjoy my holidays. :)

My score for this week is: 720.

What a wild week!!!

Thanks to all of you for all the work you have done for tonight. I love our family and the support we have to help each other out. I did a little better this week on my points. Yeah!! 700

hello!

I am kind of sad that we took away the points for posting. I love reading the blogs and I never feel like i need to get on so i dont unfortunately. I have not lost as much as I would like, but I agree with katie, how many people can say they stayed in control and lost weight over the holidays. not many. I know being on this game made me make way better choices then i would have while on vacation. If i wasn't on game on, i would not have taken my protein shakes and had them for breakfast everyday, i would not have tried to have a healthy snack twice a day and make better choices for lunch and dinner. amazing what this game will do for you. I am hoping to lose a lot more but i will be happy with any loss with all this stress and parties. thanks for asking, braedon! loves and hugs!

Update.

I'm pretty sure Braedon knows where I'm at, but I still share for everyone else. :)

I've lost 6.6 pounds at this point. I'm kinda feeling a long the same lines as Braedon where I'm happy that I've lost weight... but I thought at this point I would have lost a little bit more. But thats okay, I knew my weight loss wouldn't be huge going into this, so I'm just gonna keep working hard.

All in all I feel happy and healthier then before I started this Game On! And that was my main goal, to feel good with myself. Ya of course I hope I'll loose a little more weight, but I'm just glad that I feel healthier then I have in a long while. :)

I'm a little nervous for the upcoming holidays - there are so many Christmas parties coming up. But I think with careful planning that I can make it work. :)

One thing is for sure - it feels good to say that I've lost weight during the Holiday season (so far) and I don't think many people can say that. :) And it's nice to know that I have family that are going through this Game with me!

Love you all! And hope to hear some more about how things are going!

Curiousity

Since we are half way I just wanted to know where everyone was at and how everyone was doing. So I decided I would ask.

How are you all doing? How is the weight loss going? What is your weight loss?

I personally am a little frustrated with my weight loss - it's not as good as I wanted it to be, but I guess loss is loss right? So far I've lost 10 pounds, which I am really happy about, but I just guess it would have been a little bit more by now.

I'm hoping if I see how everyone else is doing it might help modivate me to work harder! So who is willing to share!?

Braedon's and Katie's Scores:

I can't believe we are already half way! I can't believe it's December for that matter. Weird.

Katie's: 720

Braedon's: 714

:)

Lori's score this week is 672
Jodi's score is 677

Hello!

I woke up early enough to post this morning. thanks braedon and katie for posting my score for me. wow has this been hard on vacation. going to the parks all day it is almost impossible to eat 5 snacks/meals a day. we are lucky to get three! We went to the beach yesterday and thankfully dawn and henry packed a cooler for us with healthy stuff like apples, oranges, water and snacks. i think yesterday was my only day will all 5 meals. the water has been really tough too. we dont have a stroller so i just have my one water bottle that is for all 5 of us and we have to keep finding places to refill it. plus if you drink a lot you have to always find the bathroom. i feel really swollen and my ring doesn't fit so i know i am not drinking enough. we are having a blast though and i am trying to make good decisions on my food. sorry you are all in the snow and we are in nice 70-80 degree weather and getting sunburned. LOL sorry to hear kelly's sad news. hang in there dear, it will get better. hope you all have a great week. love you all!

What a slacker i am!!

The first part of last week i was absolutely perfect but thanksgiving put an end to that in a hurry. My one day slip ups turn into at least a couple of days of being out of control. Unfortunately, i could have used that extra 10 point to blog on time. So i guess that brings my total down to 670.

"I'm a day late and a dollar short"

Hi guys, yes I did find thanksgiving to be a little hard.
It was yummy food, and luckily my tummy didn't
tolerate much of it.

my score: 678

Katie's, Braedon's, & Lori's Scores

Hey all! First of all I want to thank you Kelly for posting your struggles - and also you positive attitude. We all love you! Let us know if you need anything.

Now for the scores:

Lori's: 678

Braedon's: 708

Katie's: 708

Anyone else thought it was hard this week to be good with Thanksgiving!?

count your blessings, name them one by one...

Today I feel depressed and frustrated with my physical limitations
and the thought that I might need to go back into surgery,
 but then to boost my spirits I remembered that I need to be thankful for
my blessings... family, friends and the gospel are at the top of
the list! Thanks to you I am truly blessed!! What a support you
have been in my life. I love each of you so much!!
With being bedridden, I am also able to focus more on my
diet and have already lost 6 pounds!! I just hope it stays off
with all the meds that I am taking.
Things could be so much worse in life, and we need to be
grateful for what we have, and remember our blessings.

Week 2 already?!

Boy am I a slacker!!  Sorry I haven't been good at bloggin so far.
Week 1 was good and I felt like I could keep on track pretty good,
but this week..... not.  I have to say I feel like I have a good reason though.
It looks like you are all doing well. :)
I have not had any problem with portion control, sleeping,
H2O intake, or even keeping my goals this week,
but the exercise, and variety of foods have been awful!!

Last week score: 680
This week score: 700

Thankyou all for being so encouraging, supportive, and helpful!!

Katie's Score

Agreed - thanks Jodi! I'm certainly trying to get control of my life again. :) It's really hard though when all I want to eat is candy and funyuns. Haha. But like I said last week it will be worth it in the end.

Sadly I think my body didn't like the amount of weight I lost last week (or something...) and am somehow up a pound this week - even though I feel like I exercised better this week. Kind of frustrating... but I'm just hoping it will all even out in the end.

My score is: 710

Here's to another week!

Braedon's Score

Jodi - Thank you for the advice. I am quickly learning that even at my age already it is hard. Over the last 3 years I have allowed myself to be way too lax. I remember before my mission I actually felt good about myself, was a good weight, exercised daily...what the hell happened?!? In any case, this feels good to be accountable to someone else to kick me in the butt. My score for this week is 700. My dang habit of biting my fingers is taking advantage of me unfortunately. Oh well. Another week.

Another Friday

I can't believe how fast this 2 weeks have gone by. I also realize that just because I start new games doesn't mean that this time will be different. Am I too old for change? Am i afraid of success? Braedon and Katie.... get control of your life now. It just gets harder the older you get. You both are doing so well. Keep it up!

Lucky for me i barely made my 1% by the skin of my teeth. Too bad that only makes up 10 points.
2 for 2 Yeah! Now if i can work on my extreme eating habits. Here's to a new week and a better score.

690

score 680

the exercise killed me this week. two days without and you are down 40 points. tough first week home from work. hopefully it will get easier. off to cook dinner for 60 people at hale theatre. it will be a busy day! I am so excited though, i made my 1% again so i am down 5 lbs. yahoo!

score for the week is 690.

score 690

I missed a day of exercise and I thought I had to have a candybar one day :(

Katie's Score

My final score for week 1 is 720 and never in my life have I wanted Candy so much... But, I lost 5.6 pounds this week, so it's worth it. :)

Hope all of you are doing good!

Weekly Scores

My scores for the week of 11/5-11/11: 710. 

Also, I have just been adding in the 5 points per day for communication since we decided that we weren't doing that. I would rather have 100 points a day than 95. I figure most of you are probably doing that, but if you want another way, let me know. Thanks. 

my score for the last week was 600

New Look!

We've given the blog a little sprucing! Let me know what you think - and if you don't like something or have any other suggestions, send them my way and we'll see what we can do.

I hope you are all having a most wonderful, healthy, habit free and spiritual Sunday. :)

whoops!

forgot to send in my score for the week!  Realized yesterday was Friday when I got up and knew today was Saturday!!  Does that make sense!!  Maybe next contest we could work on our memories!!!  Thanks so much to everyone.  Didnt quite make my goal of losing 16 pounds (just 4)  but better than gaining!  And I have change some bad habits for some good.  Thanks again!!  points were 695

THE WINNERS!!!!! LAUREEN AND DAN!

I think it is safe to say that Laureen and Dan are our winners again! Congratulations! I will get the money to you this weekend Laureen and hopefully you can get it to Dan. Way to be! Thanks everyone for playing and for all the fun posts and positive writings!

So long, farewell!!!

Final score: 695

Total weight loss: 12 lbs.

Thank you to ALL OF YOU for letting me do this with your group! It has been uplifting and inspiring and thought provoking and habit changing. Through everyone's up's and down's I have learned something.

Good luck to all of you. Thank you again.

Cami

Final post, final score

But not so final day of working on healthy eating
and weight loss. It is important to me to continue
on with this!!  THANK YOU LORI for organizing and
planning and following through for us with this
game on.  YOU are awesome!!
It has helped me, and I look forward
to continuing on..
Final score not so good,  670 :(
Weight loss= 5.2 lbs.
Best of luck to you all, and keep up the great
WORK.

HORRIBLE WEEK

I sadly got only 625 this week:( However, I am grateful for the weight I have lost & for all your help. My friends tease me that not only is my phone stuck to me all the time but my water bottle is as well. I have developed some habits that are going to be life long. Thanks for letting me play everyone.

Final Score

Week 8 - 688 pts.
Total weight loss - 2.2 lb.

Yeah. I'm the biggest loser. :)
I attribute my fabulous success to:
Great week day habits.
Terrible weekend habits.
Emotional weakness.

Thank you for your amazing blogs. Best of luck to the Ashby/Goudie/Egan group. I have learned so much from being allowed into your contests this year - while it doesn't show yet, I am a changed person. I plan to make Game On habits lifetime habits, one day at a time. Love you guys.

Final score 585

I don't think I'm ready mentally for another contest. I have loved your blogs. This is a great group of people. Let me know if you start another round after Christmas. I'm going to go solo for a while and see if I can do something with myself. This round of game on was really hard on me mentally. It's probably because of all the stress in my life right now. This contest just turned into something else for me to fail at. So I will miss you all terribly. I'm not giving up! Love you guys!

Final Post

Hi Everyone -

Last day. Last Score. Last Post. As Jerry Garcia (Greatful Dead) would say: "What a great trip it's been." Thank you all for your competitive and emotional spirits. Even though it was just through the blog, I felt like I got to know each of you. Your inspirational accounts sure helped me along. I can only wish each of you the best in the future. I can tell you that what I have learned through this process will stay with me and help be in my future. The key for me will be to fully accept and adopt the lifestyle change this contest engendered. No going back.

My final score is 684 pts. Total weight loss = 14.5 lbs.

Au Revoir

score

Well, like I said yesterday, my score is pretty low, but I have had success in this contest! my score is 548. Thanks for your support and your great posts! Congrats to all of us, for we all won!

To Crush, Dan and Jane.......

It sounds like you all might want to start the new game. We would love to have you! Just let Lori know if you would still like to by tomorrow. I don't quite know why i am doing it again considering my giving up attitude I have had now for several weeks. I guess it's good to know i still have the desire to be able to change my life for the better. It is so fun to read all of your blogs and see the success that many of you had. You are an inspiration to me.
Score for the final week
590

can't believe its over!

Started reading everyones blog and it donned on me that it is over....WOW already!  But I'm not down enough yet!!  Oh well.  Thanks so much for allowing me to participate.  It is the first time I have ever blogged!  And now I am not cussing and I am taking vitamins regularly.  That is a good positive switch.  Just wish I could have done better with the food.  Still my weakness....I'll keep trying!

last day

Well, this has been amazing. It has been hard and I am glad we did it together. Well it was a victory for me because I am fitting comfortably in all my clothes and some are too big now... I have lost the weight gained from my mission and now I can keep going down. :-) I feel I have gained better control and better habits. My scores are pretty lame and tomorrow's score is going to be pretty low, BUT I am glad I was able to do this. It got me going again on eating healthy with a bit of sweets here and there. I am really grateful for your blogs and posts and your victories and falls. Good luck everyone on the next contest!

O.K. here is the deal!

I just got off the phone with Jodi and we were going to just do this next one with family but if any of you are interested here are the rules we are going with. If you want to do it starting tomorrow YOU MUST, MUST MUST be able to weigh in with all of us Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m at my house and you MUST MUST MUST be able to weigh in with everyone on the last weigh in on the same scale, at the same time and together. The last weigh in falls on New Years Eve. What a great way to end the year eh, seeing what a huge accomplishment we have made :) The pot is $50.00 there are no teams. The same rules of GAME ON apply with the weekly scores, even the 10 points for the 1% weight loss. At the end we are awarding 300 points for the person that has lost the most % of weight loss and 200 pts for the 2nd place and 100 pts for the 3rd place. Let me know if any of you are interested. I realize this is not for everyone and I hope if you are not doing it with us you can continue on with your own GAME ON with your friends or family and make the rules that you feel with be best for you and your teammates.I hope you know I am not trying to exclude anyone or get rid of anyone. I love you all. This is just what my family needs to be more accountable and we all need to lose weight so we want it to be about the weight. Let me know by tonight or tomorrow morning if you want to join us! Thanks.

ONE MORE DAY!

Hey Everyone,

Just got back from a camping trip with my 5th grader son. It was way out in Scofield, almost to Price. It was a blast! Beautiful weather, fun with a whole bunch of 10 and 11 yr. old boys, and meeting some great people.

Anyway, the eating was SUPER hard. Treats, snacks, movie candy and all sorts of stuff. Even a king sized snickers to thank the parents with. But, that is in my bag and I"m saving it for free day.

Also, I'm in for the next contest. Lori, dad and I were talking about not publicly posting everyone's scores. That way, no one knows (except you) who is winning or loosing and you really have to push it all the way to the end because you might be winning!!! What do you all think?

Thanks to everyone for all your support, posts and insights. I think we should try to meet, too.

Its almost over!

I can't believe 8 weeks have gone by already. It sure flies when your having fun. I can't believe I am going to do this again with my son and his wife. Hopefully kelly, jodi and kristin will join in. we are also going to up the pot to 50.00 .We are going to make it really tough though and have weight a part of it again. It really helps me stay the course. We are starting tomorrow so there will not even be a break! (which is great for me!) I think it will help me through the holidays and vacation and all the parties. at the end we are having huge bonus points for the individual who lost the most percentage of weight. this will be an individual game not a team game. interesting twist :) I hope this has been great for everyone. thanks for playin!

The best and the worst

The best- I quit drinking diet coke. The worst- aparently I'm only capable of doing one thing at a time. One of these games maybe I'll stay on the wagon. Love ya'll.

5 pts.

Last 5 pts. Think I can stay the course for 6 more hours?

THANK YOU

Since I've never done this contest before- can someone please tell me how the ending goes? Do we report tomorrow & that's it? Is there a last meeting? I would love to meet to get faces with you all. You all have helped me so much & I have really appreciated everyone & my great partner KELLY.

I made a Real Estate audition video for a National cable show on the Home & Garden Channel (I haven't heard yet whether I made it or not). So many people that have seen it said that I looked thin (even my kids said that, which is near miraculous). You all have helped me to lose the weight I have & your words have inspired me to keep going. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Life Changing

I know it's about over...this round of our contest that is. It has been just what I needed to make some changes in my life to get a grip on how I was self destructing. Now the challenge for me is to carry on. I like this quote from Joe Vitale: "What can you do right now to begin to turn your life around? The very first thing is to start making a list of the things to be grateful for."

And what I want to say is that I am grateful for all of you. The blog was inspiring and motivating. I feel like we are all friends. I am grateful to Disneyland Mama for starting and running the contest. And to Laureen for inviting me to be her teammate and for pushing me to perform at a high level. And I could name a little something regarding just about all of you for helping me in some little, but worthwhile way. The power of accountability really proved itself out. Thanks again and I hope we do this again - very soon.

JUST STUFF

Alright people! I am feeling give up in the air. Are we all so burned out we can't speak? I'm such a hypocrite- I think I forgot to blog yesterday.

I ended up not going out of town & have had the worst 3 days this week, but I have gotten back on the wagon (it is really a treadmill) and I am determined to finish strong.

I want to keep going with this program. Are we going to meet & continue? I also have at least 3 other people who want to join the gang. KRISTIN- I want to be like you when I grow up... & clean everything in my house. Do you give lessons?

CHECK..

I love my fibro swim class!! Did I already mention that?
I just got back from it, and I feel so much better. Yesterday
I ached ALL over and felt awful. Today is a better day.
If any of you are interested in doing a great cardio workout
in the water where you are weightless, let me know.
It is led by an instructor, and we do pilates, bicycling, running,
stretching and have lots of fun.
I do the class at TOSH, and it lasts an hour on monday
and wednesday evenings from 5 to 6.
Hope all is well with you all!

off to play tennis!

Telecommute day!  Love them!  Get so much done and time to do stuff I want to!  Had to run up to the Capitol for a HR meeting.  Havent been up there in years.  Lots of renovations and I think it was money well spent.  The Capitol should be a showcase for the State of Utah.  We really have a great State!!  and a great Capitol!

Checking in

My computar is on the fritz. I have to restart it everytime I use it. Then it takes 15-20 minutes for me to finally get to this point. I haven't had the patience to bother with it this week. Then my husband called from Denver to tell me I have a whole bunch of e-mails so here I am. I finally finished cleaning my house today. Yes, a whole month later. It's finished I have literally cleaned everything ceiling's, walls, Light switches, baseboards, every piece of furniture every closet. You name it, I cleaned it. The only thing left is carpets and that happens next wednesday. I wish it would stay. House work is like excersise your never done. Really!

Hangin' On...

I pretty much got nothin. 5 pts.

What's Up?

I've noticed that our blogging efforts have kinda run out of gas. I guess it is the last few days of our contest. I hope everyone is doing all right. This has helped me tremendously. Thanks for all your inspiration. Tomorrow will be our last day. Be well.

have a great day!

5 points

here is to a great day!

Hello and Good bye

Had a super busy day today.

Ran all over but still got my food/water in-- with good choices.

It's all about choice. It really is.

check

good day, bowled great, feel tired

todays blog

headache - will blog later!

5 pts.

check

On the road again

Off to sunny (and hot) southern California for work. The contest will help me to eat well. The main thing I'm gonna miss is riding my bike with CRush. I have to settle for an exercise machine in my little hotel. At least there's that. See you all at the finish line - smiling!

checkin in

unbelievable....

this blog has nothing to do with eating or exercising....I am currently watching CNN.  There is a news talked show with believe it or not Elliot Spitzer!  Really now.  Wasnt he the guy who was with the prositute back in New York?!  He was the DA for the state of NY - making rules against prostitution and yet lets say promoting the business at the same time.  What a hypocrit!  How can CNN actually think he is credible?  They are discussing tomorrow's election and all I can think about is how he hurt his family and children...
  Dont forget to vote tomorrow!!

check

Dilemma

This morning I was faced with a very hard dilemma:

My husband had to be to work by 6:30 this morning. A new hospital, a new rotation.

So, he got ready to leave and his car wouldn't start.

He had to take the van.

This would be fine, but on Monday's I usually go to they gym after the kids go to school. This is my weight lifting day, which I love. He's going to take the car. I have no way of getting there. What am I going to do? How am I going to get my points? How am I going to get to they gym.

I thought of all sorts of ideas: borrowing a neighbor's car, riding my bike there (but then working out in my bike shoes wouldn't really work), and then I started thinking about my long list of things to do today..........and I thought, "Do I really need to work out today?"

I was telling my sister in law about the whole car situation and not being able to get to the gym and she said, "Why don't you just run on the treadmill?"

I usually have a hard time 'changing the plan' or doing something different, so this thought pattern did not occur to me. I sometimes have that thing people call "tunnel vision" or a hard time seeing outside the box. I like to stick to the schedule. If I can't lift weights, then I can't work out.

Right?

Wrong!!!

I said to myself, "You know what, it's 20 minutes of exercise and I am the only one who is putting the boundaries of "lifting weights on Monday's" on myself. I am going to go for an outside run.

I did.

It felt great!

Got through Halloween!

All is well.
Check

5 pts.

check.

I am probably going out of town tommorrow & I won't be back til Fri or Sat. Very hard last 3 days. Oh well.... stand up...brush off...Keep Movin! Have a great week everybody!

Apples

Have you ever had the pleasure of eating a carmel apple from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory? Oh Baby! I tell you what...there's no better way to eat a Granny Smith apple. We made them last night and we made too many. My system couldn't quite process all that carmel and white chocolate and, well, I've got enough simple sugars stored up to ride my bike 100 miles! But apples are good for you, right?

Have a GREAT week everyone. 4 days to finish strong - finish being the key word. What a great experience this has been. Your blogs have blessed and inspired me.

CHECKING IN

Checking in ;)

great blogs, thanks everyone- Go Dan the tree with 55 miles!! Wow! You are my inspiration~!

great blogs, thanks everyone- Go Dan the tree with 55 miles!! Wow! You are my inspiration~!

Yeah Auburn!

Watched the game on tv last nite!!  Yeah Auburn!!  cant wait for this to be over.  My wt has not significantly changed but I have no regrets participating!!

5 pts.

check.

Rollin' - Rollin' - Rollin'

I rode my bike 55 miles today (burned 4354 calories). Feels GREAT right now - but it didn't while I was doing it... At about mile-p0st 40 I turned into the wind and wondered if I was going to be able to make it back. It was mostly mental. Reminded me of our little contest.

Someone should go back through all the blog posts and count how many times someone has said how good they feel after their monumental effort to exercise and or eat well. No one ever said they love this contest because it is easy. It's the lasting effect it has on us when we are able to overcome the physical and (mostly for me) the psychological inertia that tries to drag us back to who we used to be. Look at how far we have come! Even further than 55 miles.

STAY STRONG!

Say no to the SNICKERS!!!

We can do it!!!

Lyss-- ETTE-- so true! Way to dust yourself off and get back up! Proud of you!

5 pts.

check.

ETTE

Endure to the end. Wow, yesterday I thought I'd have a relaxed day- well I lost a bit of control and ate a lot of sugar. It was delicious... for the moment. But I didnt feel that great yesterday. So I am glad to get back on the wagon. I know there is only one week left of this contest, but I want to keep going personally with eating and exercising.
Lets Endure To The End. :-)

Score

Lori- I texted you my score of 700 yesterday. I hope you got it.

I sat down to post my score yesterday before 12 and the electricians knocked on the door and I never made it back to the computer. This contest is harder than it looks. 620 was my score last week.

busy day

try to winterize....change out clothes, trim roses, etc.!  Have a good day!

Late score post

I didn't even fill out a score sheet this week. LAUREEN I get a "U"(Piano Lingo) for not filling out my practice sheet. I tryed to go back and remember each day. It's all a blur so I feel pretty safe with a 580 this week. Things are looking up. I'm hoping to finish strong. Funeral is over. Life should calm down this week. Knock on wood :)

Score

Wow, I am so GOOD at this game!! Lori- my score is 602... Sorry Jodi!

Thanks you guys!!

Tearing up reading the supportive blogs!!  (I would never admit that in person - amazing how writing opens oneself up!)  It has been a better day.  Unfortunately, I went up this week (probably because of yesterday).  But my points are 685....

Score

Off to the Halloween Parade.

700 score.

Laureen's Score from St. George

Laureen texted me from her vacation villa with her score = 664 pts.

points

602- lame sauce... Oh well, I am still happy with my progress. :-)

score 608

Not so good this week. You can tell where I struggle when I am under stress!!!!

The Home Stretch

My score for this penultimate week is 720.

I feel like Lyss (grateful) and how much influence you all and this contest has had on me. Lyss' story is totally awesome. I going to finish strong just by riding her fantastic example.

hardest decision ever!

So I was asked to babysit for my friend tonight and they thought they would be gone about 2 and a half hours. Well, turned out to be 4 hours long! So when they came, they had wendy's food for me!! A frosty and a jr bacon cheeseburger... I took it and said thanks and went home. Oh man! I was really tempted. I didnt have that big of a dinner and it was 5 hours before that time I had the Wendy's food. I wanted to eat some really bad.. but decided against it. I thought of you guys and how it would be lame if I gave in. I gave my cheeseburger to my roommate and saved my frosty in the freezer.

VICTORY!!

score 698

Better week, yeah!
I am posting my score early cause
I work all day tomorrow & have no internet.

Boy Jennifer isn't that true. That is my BIGGEST
battle, having healthy food in my house to just
grab. I buy it thinking I have enough for myself,
and within hours, it's gone. I guess I need to make sure
I buy triple the amount!
Thanks everyone for all the inspiring blogs :)

I hope everyone's week was good, and
that we can pat ourselves on the back.
If not, remember there's always next week!

To Sarah

That happens to the best of us, right?

Now you have 2 choices: beat yourself up about it and possibly spiral downward

or

Accept that it happend.

Ask yourself about it and if it was worth it.

Determine what to do next time.

Pick yourself up and dust off and just keep going.

Try, try, try.

You can do it.

ugh!

bad eating day.  guess I can count it as my free day.  weird how I just want to eat and eat - and not even hungry.  Right now I hate Halloween.  I am a party pooper....sorry so down.  Old habits were resurrected today.  Tomorrow will be better??

check

I'm low in more ways than one

You guys are the best! I have a lot to say but I don't have time. Thank you for your honesty, for your examples & for your inspiration. I've lost 13 pounds so far. I am SO excited! However, life has just kicked me in the teeth really hard, life altering hard. BUT (picture me in my garden pulling out my radishes- very Sarlett O'Hara like)" as God as my witness," I will go through this emotional long term pain WITHOUT numbing it with food!!! You are all my witnesses. I AM THE MASTER OF MY FATE! I AM THE CAPTAIN OF MY SHIP!

Not Supposed to Win

Did you notice that the Giants won the 1st game of the World Series, even though they weren't supposed to? If you listened to what all the "experts" predicted, the Giants had no chance. But the Giants believed and didn't listen to those outside voices.

Kind of like what we're experiencing with our quest to beat the blobs. If you listen to some of those outside voices (e.g. Satan, toxic friends, negative self-talk) you have no chance to win. You might as well give up now and just become a blob. The old adage: "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" works well here. We are the way we are, right? NOT! Over the past several weeks we have experienced both wins and losses. We all know that we can win if we put our minds and hearts into it. It's called believe and the more we practice it, the more wins we garner. I'm imagining a size 12 World Series Ring on my right ring finger even as we speak...

Way to go

Way to go.

Baby steps. Baby steps.

Had my first night of cooking class tonight.

Had bites and tastes......not full servings. Victory for me.

Jane, way to blog about your feelings and cravings. I admire your honesty and your not giving in. I admire your inclination to go to the blog for help. Thank you for your example.

Busy day!!

I love reading all the blogs!!!  Crush is dead on in the binging deal!  It is not worth it!!  Dan with his field trips!  How cool!  I used to have to inspect Geneva Steel's coking process!  So I can relate!  It is amazing!!  I have been getting used to the salads for dinner!  And loving it!  I buy the salad stuff from Costco, and I am so frugal that I cant let it go to waste!  So I end up eating alot of salads!!!  Whatever works right!?!

I wish I had something intelligent to say... Um.... GO DOG GO... oh wait,.... GO TEAM Go! :-) Love you guys! keep it up!

I need to go to the store today and get some good healthy food.

check

lead me, guide me, walk beside me

Kristin, I am so sorry to hear about your grandma.
You're right, attitude is everything. It makes you
really stop and think when you see or talk with
someone who is struggling or might have a
serious hardship, and then hear or feel such
a great strong positive attitude.
It really does help me to be more grateful
and happy for what I have.
"All life is a journey; which paths we take,
what we look back on, and what we look
forward to is up to us.  We determine our
destination, what kind of road we will take
to get there, and how happy we are when we
get there."
I love this quote!

Field Trip

I feel like a 5th grader whose class gets to go on a field trip. As you know, I am a structural engineer and we build stuff out of steel. Today we're going to a steel mill to see how a piece of dirt can turn into a piece of steel. Cool.

Now my challenge is to get my 100 oz. of water in and eat healthy. I had downed 48 oz. of water before I left the house at 6:00 a.m., so I'm hoping I can sneak a bottle of water or two in during the day. I hope there is a bathroom or two I can dart into during our tour (Ooooh, I just thought of that).

CRUSH is full of wisdom in her post. Thinking and thinking ahead (because of what I've learned in the contest) is the only way to beat our old habits. And I bet RealtorJane figured out a way to outsmart the sweet voice that was calling to her. That voice can be sooooo enticing, unless we outsmart it like RJ did - by blogging about it. Awesome.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Kristin and her family.

Just checking In

Trying to use my P.A.(possitive attitude)

AMAZING POSTS EVERYONE

Wonderful posts! I have had a harder day today. The sweets have been calling me. I have not been bad but I hate this anxious feeling. I want my sweet fix. I will feel my feelings, however, and get through it. The day is almost over.

The power of the mind.

We've all heard the quote:

"Whether you think you can or you think you cannot, you are right."

So, how do we change our thinking? How do we change, like "The Tree" said, "Most people really don't ever achieve real, lasting change without continuous follow up."

Well, one thing I have learned is this:

When the consequences of what I do finally get through my stubborn mind I realize:

This behavior isn't worth the consequences I KNOW will come.

So, then I decide, "It's not worth it."

We know the consequences of bingeing: feeling good (during the eating), feeling bad immediately afterwards, beating self up, (this may or may not involve treating those in our family bad because of our bad mood), not giving of ourselves fully because of our bad mood, not wanting to go out in public because of our bad mood, and then just thinking, "Well, I've already messed up, I might as well eat more." Then a horrible cycle begins! Does that sound familiar to anyone?

So, lets remember the consequences of our actions the next time we're tempted and remember that:

IT'S NOT WORTH IT! :)

Checkin it

Hey- How is everyone? I am doing great. Today it was snowing!! :-) I love eating healthy! YAY!

good and bad!

Went up to Logan for some inspections....here's the bad.  I stopped off at Pepridge (sp?) Farm and bought cookies by the bulk (they are seconds!).  The good is that I have not pigged out on them.  And now I plan on bagging up some of them to share with friends!!  I would have never in the past had done that.  I would have eaten them all!!!  Maybe I am slowly changing my habits......!

check

What a day yesterday

We got a call about noon or so yesterday that my husbands Grandma had hours to live. She is 97 so we have been anticipating this call. She has been in a care center in Bountiful for about a month. She lived alone previous to this. She had her mind totally about her so she was very aware of every thing she couldn't do because her body was wearing out. She couldn't hear in large groups. She couldn't see to read or watch T.V. she couldn't walk more that 10-15 steps with out feeling winded. But even 2 weeks ago she taught me a lesson. We went to visit her and she had just found out she didn't get to go home. She was just as pleasant as ever and she said to me" I have so much to be grateful for. My family is so good to me and every where I go I meet good people who are kind to me. That's something to be happy for." It brought me to tears for someone with a horrible quality of life she could still find something to be grateful for and to be happy about. We went to visit her yesterday as soon as our kids got home from school. It was so hard to see her struggling to breath. She looked so small and frail. We all gave her a kiss and she passed away 20 minutes after we left. I am changing my attitude TODAY!

Listen to this

I'm reading a new book entitiled "MOJO: How to get it, How to keep it, How to get it back if you lose it" (Marshall Goldsmith). It's pretty good so far. A paragraph really caught my eye, especially since we've been talking about it here in the blog. They surveyed 250,000 people with this question: "Does anyone ever really change?" The conclusion is unequivocal. "Very few people achieve positive, lasting change without ongoing follow-up."

For me this contest and our blogosphere have been great resources to encourage and challenge. Each of us needs to figure out a way to be accountable outside of ourselves, at least until the change has become permanent.

5 pts.

Check.

Great posts!

Laureen, thank you for your analogy comparing the contest to getting good grades in school. I could get A's all day in school and I did, because I played the game. I feel like I have very little to show for it now. It really is thought-provoking to ask myself, "Is that how I'm playing the game? What am I learning, here?"

Thank you for getting that going in my head.

I am grateful for Monday's and a new week. Last week was a hard week, but I'm ready to begin again.

Thanks for all your comments!

Fun night

I just got home from taking my family to the Ogden I fly and Flowrider and Rockclimbing. It was hilarious watching my son and husband simulate sky diving and learning how to surf the water.

checking in..

5 points

Can I tell you all how heavenly an indoor swimming pool
is on a cold snowy day like today, after working all day!!
I went to my fibro swim class, and it felt awesome!!
It didn't help the pain too much, but to get my heart
rate up, stretch my achey muscles, and visit with my
friends really relaxed me..    I really enjoyed it.

just checkin in.

Snowed in!!

Ended up going to Cedar City due to the snow!  At least got something done!  Packed a lunch and drove home and had grilled salmon!  Good eating day!  Not so good water day.  Trying to make up for it now!!!  Maybe I will put my sleeping bag in the bathroom!! lol!

check

Cheking In

Busy week I'm starting a seasonal job to earn money for Christmas. Bah Hum-bug! Who took the Christ out of Christmas and turned it into a reason to spend money you don't have for things you don't need. I'll never understand ,but I refuse to go into debt over it. I have 3 options go into debt for Christmas, don't have Christmas, or get a job to pay for Christmas. Next year I pledge to plan ahead so I'm not in this boat again.

Dilbert

Boss: "What happened while I was in jail?
Secretary: "Morale skyrocketed, profits soared, and for the first time, life had meaning."
Boss: "It's just my luck that I'd miss those two days..."

Back in the saddle. Welcome to Monday.

A special welcome back to Grandma Kelly. We missed you. Hope your back is better.

last weeks score was 607

We are doing some remodeling, finishing a room for my son Connor in the basement. My garage is filled with stuff and I am getting paint, bedding and drapes. All the mess is shifting my focus. I think staying healthy is a mind game more than any thing. I hope I can do better this week!

I GOT NOTHIN TO SAY

Yesterday was my free day from blogging (because I turned on my computer for the exact purpose of blogging & ended up doing something completely different). I need Alzhiemer's testing.

New Day, new week

5 points.

WOW what a week!

First of all, sorry lori for not posting my score till now..
it is 645 ;(

Sorry Jane, I haven't been such a great partner for you.
This past 4 months have been hard for me.
I have really appreciated all of your
blogs these past few days. It makes me feel like I am in the same boat
as you all. We all have our strengths and our weaknesses.

The important thing for me with doing this contest is that with
the frustration of being in constant pain, this contest has helped
 me to stay on track (obviously not even 90%) to get my activity up,
eat better, get my sleep and all do the best I can each day to think
about myself to be better and healthier. And I actually think it
has helped my back pain a little!

I feel that it would benefit me to change it up a little, and focus on
weigh- in's with each other. Because I still need to lose a lot of pounds!
I have been in this to be healthier and to lose weight,
so this would help me too.
In my past attempts over the years to lose weight, it helped to
 weight in weekly. So next round, lets do it!

We are all worth it to do the best we can,
be honest with ourselves, and keep making 
the best choices we can.  ;)
LOVE YOU GUYS!

back home

Went to Antelope Island last nite camping.  And this morning went for a wet hike!!  We had a blast!

Heading off to Ticaboo tomorrow!  To a uranium mine.  Hopefully can drive over Soldier Summit.

I marvel at the miracle

I love this poem! Words by John V. Pearson

I marvel at the miracle
Of God's great love for me.
I try but cannot comprehend
And ask how this could be.
For I had left behind my God
And lost my way through sin.
Still God loved me and sent His Son
To lead me back to Him.

I wearied of my weaknesses
And trials filled my days.
I cried out, Lord, my burden's hard:
Is there no other way?
He said, I give men weaknesses
And if they come to me
I give them strength to overcome
And I will make them free.

I pled with God to shed his grace
And take away my sin.
He did and, yet, I turned away
And stumbled once again.
At last I knelt before His throne
And offered Him my soul.
He wept, then gave it back to me
Renewed, and washed, and whole.

I wonder at the grace divine
And power to redeem;
That Christ alone could overcome
And change eternity.
My thanks cannot sufficient be.
My praise is incomplete.
For all I pay, my debt remains
For God's great gift to me.

The Elusive number on the scale

Laureen you are not alone there. I have been in the same 15lb range for the last 3 contests also. I think we are all in the same boat there. I've decided there is no way I'm going to reach my goal physically untill I change mentally. All of my eating problems stem from emotions. I eat to celebrate, I eat when I'm sad, angry, stressed, discouraged, bored. I rationalize that if I'm going out with friends or eating with family. It might" hurt there feeling" if I don't eat what they are eating. All holidays are centered around food. No wonder we are all sick! When I have gotten down to my goal weight it usually happens when I have a big trip planned, a wedding or the last 3 times I've lost a significant amount of weight it was because "I can't get pregnant again when I'm this fat". I need to address my emotions before I'll ever lose weight and keep it off! I love that we are all getting real in our blogs! Thanks everyone;)

1 Nephi 1:20

"...the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom He hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance."

Yes, we can!

Cleaning up your messes

So. This week. Good times. C.S. Lewis talks about having extreme circumstances bring out the ugliest stuff in us, and saying that the extreme circumstances were the reason we ______ (threw a plate, burst into tears, snapped at someone, punched a jeep, etc.). Lewis contends that this ugly stuff in us was there all along. He compares it to having rats in our cellar. When we go downstairs, and hear the rats scurry when we turn on the lights, it's not the fact that we turned on the lights that caused the rats to be there! They were there all along; the light simply revealed them. He said the extreme circumstances are like that - they simply reveal what has been growing inside all along, that we haven't finished refining and culling.

So here's this week's rats that I've found. Without boring you with all of them, it pretty much comes down to this: I was carefully raised to think that mistakes of any kind were not an option, because my worth was connected to my performance. I've actually thought I'd made some progress in this area, until three completely unrelated incidents this week. All of them triggered that latent, unconscious notion that if I made a mistake, I was a mistake. Since it's the demon I run from all the time, to have this message three times, from three completely unrelated sources, was something akin to torture. I can't believe I made it out of bed this week.

Again, without going into too much gory detail, Jodi: I owe you a profound apology. Your blog, actually, was Incident #3. I have been beating myself up so much over the fact that I can't get past a certain weight, in spite of getting good scores and really doing a good job at good habits (except on free days), that all I could see was rats, scurrying around my feet, in spite of all my diligent fumigating!

When I was in school, it was vital that I got A's. Sometimes, I got the A by "playing the game," and without learning anything in the class. I realized, thanks to not just the three trigger incidents, but also the emotional tailspin caused by them, that I have been playing this game the way I got good grades in school. I have been focusing on the score, and not the results, just like I did in school.

Well, this is so stupidly ridiculous (did I mention I have not-so-great self-talk?), that to realize I had done this was humiliating! If I hadn't had a busy, culminating kind of weekend, I probably really would not have made it out of bed for a few days; I'd be there now, sobbing, wiping chocolate off my face, and chewing on my hair.

I love what Stacy said in her blog, and I agree. It is the antithesis of everything this contest is trying to teach us to have the kind of free days I've been having. And I am grateful that even though I have "played" wrong, I have not played in vain. I may be tap dancing around in a 5-pound range for the past 4 months, but I haven't gained! Given my unbelievably upbeat self-talk (wish there were a sarcasm font there, K?), and my all-or-nothing thinking, this is a victory nearly akin to the weight loss itself.

So. Jodi. If you read frustration or anger, or any negative emotions in my "letter of resignation" (which was retracted, thanks to my supportive partner-in-crime) - please know it was all directed at me. The minute I "quit," an unbelievable wave of love and support flowed toward me that I didn't even know was there. I love you guys - I can't tell you what it meant to me to have so many of you rush - we are talking rush - to my side and pull my head back above water. I am so grateful for you.

Someone asked me this week (this would be Incident #1, by the way) what I was using my excess weight to protect me from. That was when the eating started. So apparently, it has been a huge shield, and I still don't know the answer. Apparently, I don't like the answer. :) But I look forward to getting a fresh score sheet out every Friday, blogging about what I'm learning, and figuring it out. I suspect now that the lights have been turned on and the rats have been revealed, my scores may not be what they've been. I have not cheated, but I have not played well, because I have not played for the right reason. As of today, I am playing for the right reason.

Gotta post this before midnight, cause I need these dang 5 points! Happy Sabbath to my little Game On Family. I love your guts.

If eating gets connected to our emotional issues, we are in for quite a ride, eh?

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG W/ NEEDING A CONTEST

KRISTIN- thanks for your brave words in both of your last blogs. I appreciate your honesty. CRUSH- thank you for that amazing quote. NO ONE IS PATHETIC for saying how they feel & what they need or don't need! It is NOT wrong to need a contest. I have struggled with food issues since I was 13 & most of that time I have not been over-weight. Whether I have been thin or heavy my head has been sick in regard to food. I have come from the brink of balemia in the dance world to now, where it is amazing that I have let myself get this over-weight & not committed suicide. Actually being over-weight is a victory for me & I mean that honestly. I am proud that I have been able to handle being over-weight mentally. Is that pathetic? Only to people who haven't walked in my shoes. Now I want to just be a healthy weight & I don't care what I have to use to motivate me. I used my mother's approaching death to motivate me to loose weight for her funeral. Is that pathetic? I don't think so. I am now using this contest & my sons upcoming wedding to motivate me. We are all at different places in our hearts & our heads & it doesn't matter where we are as long as we are honest with ourselves. You use any motivation you want (as long as it's moral & healthy) and I will be cheering you on. I love everyone's honesty. That's the start of ALL health. GO! FIGHT! WIN! Everybody!

relaxed day

So, I decided that instead of having a free day today, I am having a relaxed day, where I still try and have healthy meals, but if I want something, I will try it. Tonight my roommates are having dinner and I am going to join them- but I am going to be in control of what and how much I eat.

Glad we're all still here.....

I'm glad my dad is a bully, too.

This would not be the same without you, Laureen!!

Kristin, I appreciate your open-ness. I think we can ALL relate to some or all of your post.

It is pathetic that a contest is needed for us to be in control.

I'm scared of myself when this contest is over. What then?

The good thing about this contest is that it forces us to change our lifestyles. It forces us to be emotionally and mentally 'there' when we eat. Then we recognize how good we feel and the weight that is lost. Hopefully, we create some new habits, in the process.

Read this quote from Thomas Jefferson:

Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.
Thomas Jefferson

off to play tennis!

Last game of fall league!  Thank goodness for bubbles otherwise we'd be rained out!  Then believe it or not we are going camping to Antelope Island!  Keep trying to convince my husband it will be pretty in the rain!!!  Have a good soggy day!!!  No one rains on my parade!!!

For Heaven's Sake

I hope you all have a great weekend. Really. Here's my suggestion: find someone (you know who I'm talking about) and just out-of-the-blue go up to them and tell them you love them - and mean it. Enjoy the reaction. Then feel love from Heavenly Father back at'cha. For a moment all of your cares will be melted. Now go forth...

To Clarify

I am horrible with words. I know winning isn't everything and it is definatly not all about the money. I can't even to begin to describe the weeknesses that run my life. How sad is it that I need to compete to make myself commit to something. How sad is it that I want to win to help me feel validated. I apologize if what I said yesterday hurt anyone's feelings. I need all of your positive to offset my negative attitude. I am grateful for things this game has brought to my life. I'm not drinking soda anymore. I am more aware of everything I put in my body. Sad as it is I need an incentive to force myself to be good. I just get really discouraged easily and instead of having a bad day and getting over it. I beat myself up and give up. I have grown to love all of you and am grateful for your powerful example's. Please forgive my weaknesses.

The game

I think that we should finish this round how we have set the rules. We only have two weeks left- come on guys we can do it. If we have fallen, lets try again. If we know we wont "win" then let's set some personal goals to push ourselves- so we all win. Do you guys understand what I am saying? Then next round- we can change it up.

I HAVE TOO MUCH TO SAY

Because blogging is too hard for me I am late. My score is 705 for the week. I have lost 11 pounds so far! I am thrilled & I too came into the game knowing I would probably not win money. Winning money was not my goal- losing weight was & is my goal.

I have too much to say. I would like to meet too- when? where?

Thank you Dan for kicking Laureen's butt. If you hadn't I would have had to. It would have been my priveledge to kick Laureen's butt since I have been so grateful for the times she has kicked mine.

Hello

Let me introduce myself again. I am Jodi and Lori's sister-in-law, Stacy and yes, I have been playing this game (several times, in fact).  

My two cents;

This game is quite revealing as far as our strengths and weaknesses.  For some exercise is hard, for some (me) it is hard to drink the water.  For all, it is hard to consistently eat the way we are supposed to eat to have optimal health.  So I love the light it shines on each of us and our struggles and our strengths.  As much as it is a team effort, I value the lessons I have learned about myself.  I have never won in this game, as far as the money goes, but I have gained SO MUCH knowledge and I have acquired new habits which have made me feel like I have changed my life in a lasting and important way.  I knew going in to this round that I was not really in to the contest, but I wanted to support Jodi and Lori and so I paid the $25 dollars knowing I would never see it again, but wanting to make the effort anyway.  We are each struggling in our own way, everyone is so busy and stressed and life is difficult at times.  I hate to see this game, which is so great at elevating us to a better life, become a negative in people's lives.  

I definitely feel that there needs to be changes in the game, if people are bingeing on their free day.  That is completely counter-productive to healthy lifestyle and weight loss.  If any of you have read the Game On diet book, you know that in the original diet, she did not support binge eating on the free day-it was just a more relaxed day where you didn't have to count points. I think somewhere we have lost the way from the original game and that free day, as great as it is, is becoming an obstacle to our goals (weight loss and healthier habits).  

So, I think you all should come to a consensus about how you would like the game to go down.  Most of you have played the game enough times to recognize inherent flaws and I think Jodi's suggestion is a good one.  I, however, will not be playing again until I can fully commit to myself and partner and do it for the right reasons...

I am not mentally in this game, but because of this game I feel I have a very healthy lifestyle and I am grateful for the weeks that I have played it.  I encourage you all to encourage each other, but keep it real!! If your day sucks, it is helpful for others to know that everyone struggles and you can overcome!

Score and thoughts

Guys,

This contest is so much bigger than who wins. I entered this contest knowing my team would not win.

First of all, I know my dad. :)

Secondly, my partner, Lyss-my beautiful, lovely sister-- is in college. I think she's got it harder than anyone else in this contest as far as surroundings go. Who ever got 7 hours of sleep in college? I could probably count on one hand the number of times I did.

So, we knew, going in this together, that every week week our scores would not be super high. We knew that. We paid our dues knowing that.

But it has been worth it.

I feel better.

I look better.

No, I will not win the money.

But, things are better. I've learned about myself. I've made mistakes. I've questioned my habits and asked "WHY?" so many times. I've come out of this a winner-- just like Lyss said. I'm not winning any money, but I've won.

Being accountable to a group has saved me from myself a number of times.

I have won.

I think we've all won.

Nobody is perfect, it's not meant to be that way.

I love this quote:

What are stumbling blocks and defeat before you, can be stepping stones to victory, if you remain determined.

Come on guys, don't give up now! Thanks to you all for all your great posts and inspiration.

My score this week- 650. Bad score, but I learned a lot about myself this week! So, I count that as a WIN!

Dan's a bully...

... and won' let me quit. We pinkie-swore each other (dang) that we'd see each other over the finish line - the FINAL finish line, of reaching our goal weights. Apparently, it's going to take ME the rest of my life. But I am not quitting. The biggest victory for me has been that in the yuckiest stuff, while I may be losing the same 4 pounds forty-eight times, I haven't gained weight back. That is actually unbelievable.

So, I crashed on my bob-sled - this week has just been such a last straw in my life, on sooo many fronts. And darling Dan came over and yelled at me and made me pick it up, and now we're carrying it over the finish line.

Is that a great friend, or what?

P.S. If you haven't seen Cool Runnings, none of that makes sense. :)

score

660

Laureen

I had a really hard time reading your blog because.....
1. I am not wanting to change the rules mid game and not let you and Dan win. Your scores clearly outshined all of us. READ CLOSELY.... you both already won the game and were going to collect the winnings.

2. This is the first time i hear about your personal struggles in this game. You always have such positive blogs. Being honest to your struggles would have probably helped all of us knowing you were not so perfect.

3. You do not seem like the type to throw in the towel when times get rough or someone calls you out on not losing weight. Losing weight was not a big part of this contest rules. Making healthier choices in life have been worth it. Right???? Most of us struggle with our weight because sometimes it's hard to admit that we have a weakness. BUT THAT'S OK!!!! Are any of us truly honest with ourselves and say we are overweight because we have not perfected our eating? Maybe a few, but I find it's easier to blame other issues so we don't look so weak.

I don't want you to be mad at my blogs but being honest with ourselves is the first key to success. We are all going to make mistakes in life but again, THAT'S OK!

Everyone hold On

One of my favorite sayings: "If you're going through Hell...Keep Going!"

points

So, I think I win for lowest points!!! :-p! This week was awful points-wise. I had two day ( I think) with 7 hours of sleep (most days were 5-6 hrs... yuck!). and I missed a lot of little things and that adds up. so my score is 599. Sorry Cam. But I am winning in the sense that I am trying to eat healthy. I feel better and I know that slowly, but surely, I am losing weight. But I am winning so much more than that. I am winning good habits and better control. I still battle and slip, but despite my score in this contest... I am winning

685 again

sorry Jennifer!!  On the flip side I have stopped swearing and have been taking vitamins.  So its not a total loss!  I agree with you all.  It is hard to keep competing knowing that we wont be winning.  I am open to pretty much anything.  Lets keep trying to lose weight together!  It helps me knowing that I am accountable for what enters my mouth!!

score 684

Week 6

This week's score: 642 points

Being a closet addict really caught up with me this week. Since the first round of this contest, I've been able to reign in my compulsive/emotional eating until free days, and then work like crazy to play catch-up the rest of the week. I managed to move forward and still lose weight the first round. But the 2nd contest I ended up losing the same 4 pounds over and over, such was the ferocity of my "binging" on the free day. Well, that's what's happening this go-round too, but worse. The emotional pain I'm experiencing is so acute AND chronic, that I can barely breathe some days. This week, it's been so bad that I couldn't even wait until free day to anesthetize with food.

I remember feeling like the contest rules were stacked against me the first time around. To lost 1% of my beginning weight every single week was a very tall order, since I am so significantly overweight. And I only lost the 1% 3 of the 8 weeks, which is why I lost - fairly, because of the set-up of the rules. The second round, when there was no weight rules, only points for habits, I worked hard because I knew I could control that. But, because of the "no weight loss" addition, I was more undisciplined on my free days, causing me to be continually playing catch-up every single week.

So that's happening this time, too. Up until this week, I have been able to control my habits sufficiently to get a great score, but I have taken advantage of my free days to the same level, and I'm still only down about 1 pound from my starting weight.

I'd rather have the weight loss than the money. I think it's an excellent idea to change the rules to include weight loss. But I think it's wrong to change the rules mid-game; it should be next time. I wanted to say something in the middle of Round 1, but I felt like it would be whiney and weak to say "No Fair!" to the rules the way they were established at that time. It made me think of a baseball league my brothers were in years ago. They had some great hitters, and ended up getting several homeruns every game. So the league actually made a rule that you could only hit so many homeruns per game!

If you think I'm saying this because Dan and I are in the lead, I'll quit right now. I don't give a crap about the money. I'd rather have lost another 15 pounds. But my emotional battles are so fierce right now, I don't give a crap about this contest either. I did, and worked hard in spite of my pain, until this week. Now, to think everybody's saying it's not fair that Dan and I will win because there's no weight loss goal involved (since Laureen is obviously not losing weight) - I've just got so much bigger things to worry about.

So I'm out. Good luck. Sorry Dan.

Thanks Jodi

First - let me report my (less than perfect) score: 700 (missed my water one day and missed my new habit one day).

Now, for the important. Jodi has hit the nail on the head. I'm not sure if she is a MD or not, but she has shown a light on all of us. We all are fighting a battle with not only food, but our emotions too. For many years I have been an emotional eater and it took it's toll. For some special reason this contest resonated with me and came into my life at the right time and place. Thanks Laureen. Laureen happens to be my wife's best friend and I didn't want to embarrass her or let her down - so I got into it. Point being, something highly motivated me. Plus, someday, if you want, I am willing to share my (very) personal journey with gaining a much deeper testimony of the blessings of the Atonement (it's not just about forgiveness)...

This is a little bitter/sweet, but on the one hand I am a competitor and like to win, but on the other hand I don't necessarily like beating you, my friends. And I especially don't like winning to the point that others ratchet down their efforts. So to Jodi's suggestion, I think we should meet and plan a better contest. I know Laureen will hate me for this, but I am willing to partner up with someone else (my daughter for instance) to spread my exuberance. Then Laureen's exuberance can support another team likewise. I like Jodi's suggestions also on scoring modifications - ala "Biggest Loser." Let's keep the ball rolling and come up with some new scoring that will motivate us all.

I look forward to everyone chiming in their 2 cents.

In response to Jodi

I agree with your blog. The competition is what keeps me going. I got a really good start this game and was feeling really good. Then as always my emotions kicked in and I had one really bad week and it totally took our team out of competing range. This is such a bad way to think ,but as good as all the blogs are. The insentive for me is winning. I know some will say you can still have a personal victory. Unfortunately that does nothing for me. I think I would be better at having a competition with myself. Maybe give myself insentive's like a weekend away at a spa. Or put some money aside that I get to spend on new clothes when I reach my goal weight. When we got put out of winning range my attitude got really negative and honestly it is really discouraging. I know that is my own problem but it is what it is. So I think your idea about having a weigh in before and after would be fantastic. I do have strengths I have no problem with excersise. I love it! Food is the enemy ,but if there was a chance for extra points with weight loss at the end. That might keep up the motivation.

On a lighter note. I was reading a book last night called Austenland by Shannon Hale and there was a paragraph that described me perfectly
"she was just a touch obsessive -compulsive, thank you very much, and if she didn't follow her compulsion to excersise hard, her body freaked out on her and demand she eat enough sugar to choke her pancreas." This is the story of my life. If I don't get up early and excersise first thing and hard! I am a sugar craving mess!
Score this week 645

I'm noticing a theme.....

Sounds like a lot of us are struggling.

I'm right there with you all.

Why do we do what we do, when we know what we know?

We know how good we feel when we eat healthy, get good rest, and exercise. So, why do we chose to go against that sometimes? It doesn't make sense.

But the most important thing is to not give up. Make the u-turn. It's in the past. Let it go and keep going.

You are all amazing and inspiring.

Are we going to do another contest after this one is over?

Please?

I think it's time we have a chat!

How do you all feel about meeting again soon? (like this week) There are many people in this contest that are having great success with their scores, and.... there are some of us that have given up because the contest has already ended because there is no way for any of the other teams to catch up to Dan and Laureen. So...... the question to everybody is " who does better on the contest when there is a chance of winning?" I know that there are at least 3 of us that need that challenge to help us stick to the plan. I've been thinking how we can make this contest more successful for all of us, but that would mean starting over. My thoughts are to give Dan and Laureen the winnings for this round right now and to change up the game for the next round. For those of us who have been in the contest with Dan and Laureen know that the only way to win is to be perfect every week. (this makes it hard for some of us to want to keep losing to such amazing perfectionist, which, by the way, I am totally jealous of) On the other hand, not competing with them would be less interesting because of their great blogging.

MY PLAN......
Now remember.... I have not met some of you and I have no idea how much weight has been lost by all of you. But, I know that many of us are attempting to lose weight. My guess is that Laureen has lost many pounds by doing this several times (unless Laureen, you are like me and you gain it back when the contest ends) But, i am just going to be real. Perfect scores should equal good weight loss. So, my thought is to keep the scoring going as it has been, but at thebeginning and end of the 8 weeks having a weigh in day (like biggest loser or thintervention) and giving out certain points for the biggest percentage of weight loss for the top 3 losers. (ie 100 pts for top loser, 75 pts for 2nd loser and 50 pts. for 3rd loser or whatever numbers we decide.
This, I think would keep the weekly numbers not so much of a downer for those of us that have problems with giving up once we know we have been beat.

A meeting would allow me to explain better and to check up on all of our progress and see how we can make this contest a little more exciting and make it work better for all of us.

Please respond to my blog and give me thoughts. (good and bad) I will not be offended.

C-H-O-C-O-L-A-T-E is Evil

I need to be checked into Food-aholics anon. I know exactly what I need to do. Why am I resisting? 99% of my eating is emotional. I recognize this and am slowly changing! Emphasis on SLOWLY. I've made at least one change no Diet Coke for almost 6 weeks. Miracles can happen! You all inspire me so much it is a comfort to know that we are not alone in our struggle.

struggling

I read thru your blogs and I guess Im not the only one!  It is so hard to change my binging eating habits.  I look around work and see people lose weight only to gain it back.  There are about 3 folks in 120 that have kept the weight off.  And during office parties I notice that they take small healthy portions, maybe one dessert if any.  This really is a lifetime change.  Trying to wrap my mind around that.  Good luck everyone!  PS  -  Is it really about winning the pot of money??  If we focus on changing eating habits, we will win that pot of money in not paying for hospital bills and pills! 

glad I am eating healthy foods

well, this week will not be perfect for me... far from it (I haven't had 7 hours of sleep this whole week!), but I am glad I am eating good food. It helps me to feel good, even though I am stressed about school. I am just trying to do my best. I know I cant win the contest, but I can win in my inner game.

struggling!

I know this same attitude applies to a few of us on this contest because I have discussed it with some of you. I have a hard time being perfect now because I know there is no way to win. What a loser thing to think I know but that is how my mentality works. I need to fix that. I need to win for me and still strive to be perfect even if I can't win, but that is my struggle! the end!

I just made some healthy cookies baby food (carrots) Almonds, Brand flakes, raisins, brown sugar, one egg, little white flour, they are called breakfast cookies and I like them. They are kind of like a granola bar without the granola. 150 in calories and 4 grams of protien.

Finished exercising...

And today still sucks. How's that for endorphins?

Better git goin'

I've been staring at this screen for so long and nothing has happened. My brain must be taking a free day...

Love tennis!

Just got done with a tennis lesson!!  I wish I didn't have to work and could play tennis all the time!  Oh well....
The salads for dinner seem to be working.  Lets see how long I can keep it up!  We are going to Antelope Island for Halloween, so not going to purchase any candy - good old avoidance technique!

free day thoughts

Well, I am glad that a lot of us are thinking about free day. I am still going to have no free day for the rest of the contest- just to do it and finish strong. I just want to get away from sugar and really bad food for a couple weeks.
In the future I will still be having free days, that is for sure! I am grateful for everyone's thoughts and desires to eat more healthy, and especially your hard work! Keep it up!

I had my free meal last night at flemings on a date with Doug. that was a great place to use my free meal yummy yummy!! It is so early in the week I hope I do OK on Friday, that's is when I usually use my free meal.

NEW PLAN FOR ME

I think starting this next Friday I will start the 2 free meals per week program with NO free food day... because as Jack Nickolson said "I CAN'T HANDLE THE FREE DAY!"

To the Future

I am very blessed by having you all as friends. Just keeping up with your thoughts and musings has been an inspiration to me. Adlai Stevenson once said: "We can chart our future clearly and wisely only when we know the path which has led to the present." We all seem to be examining our inner-selves as we recognize and admit our weaknesses (especially for food), which will only lead to a long-term victory over ourselves. As we persist, it will become easier. This is not just a one-time contest. I know for me, I'm only part way there. I want to be like Kristin's sister-in-law who is not a slave to her taste buds... You, and our contest have helped me make much-needed progress. Thanks guys.

hi!

sitting at work on my break being bored so I thought I would blog now. have a great day!

Free Day Thoughts

Amen to Jane. Amen to Kristin. I had TWO free days this week, because of an emotional pot getting stirred, and stupid all-or-nothing thinking about it afterwards (sooo sorry Dan). And as I went to bed, feeling gross, the thought occurred to me that 45 pounds ago, I used to feel this way aaaall the time. Feeling this way even once a week is starting to be not-so-great, but feeling this way twice this week? YUCK.

Actually, Kristin, I learned something years ago at Weight Watchers about the 10th one tasting like the first. It really kind of doesn't. They said the first and second bite of dessert is absolutely heaven. As is the one you THINK is going to be the last. Which is why we slap people when they take it. :) So, theoretically, three bites should make you very happy. When I actually do that, I gotta tell you - three bites really is enough!

The thing that is so great about this contest is that it forces us, in our lives that are so chaotic, to do some of these unconscious things more intentionally. Gang, I submit to you that we may not even be living intentionally, much less eating intentionally. We just go through so many motions because of the pace! Didn't we hear somebody, really wise, and darling, and German, recently try to compare slowing down to flying an airlplane, or something? I'm probably mixing it up, but I swear I heard somebody tell me, in a darling German accent, to SLOW DOWN. I believe that has to do with living more intentionally. We are agents of our own lives, we are creatures to act, not to be acted upon, which means we are not just drifting in this river filled with rapids - we have a paddle! This contest is helping us to do something intentionally that we have not been paying attention to for a very, very long time.

So, we do it wrong. We drift along, then we remember we have a paddle, and since we haven't been using it, we are complete spazzes and still paddle over a waterfall! We try again. We get it wrong. We do it again. We write it down. We do it wrong. We do it again. We get it right! We get it wrong. We do it again. WE KEEP ON.

We can do this! Not perfectly. It's that stinkin' up the place thing. I stunk up the place yesterday. I knew I had to teach students from 2:00 p.m. till 7:00 p.m. yesterday, and since I got a late start, I KNEW I was no way going to get 5 meals in. I knew I would have to deduct at least 6 points, possibly 12, because of my poor planning. What did I do? Instead of getting my butt in gear and adjusting, and losing only 6 points, I ended up losing THIRTY-TWO points, because I just threw in the towel and lost my transformation points! All-or-nothing thinking STINKS ON ICE!

So, this morning, hungover and ashamed, what do I do? Maybe best line ever in a movie, Batman Begins: "Why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves up again." Purpose of life, my friends. Purpose of life. Back to the treadmill. Back to the carrots. Repenting is starting over. Over, and over, and over again.

I haven't succumbed to all-or-nothing thinking like yesterday in a very, very long time. And I'm writing about it this morning so I can look at it for the stinkin' thinkin' that it is. Sorry to always bring it around to religion, but really, people. This is one of Satan's best tools. He has this silver, satin tongue, that croons to us as we walk gullibly, or march willfully, into one of his traps. Then, once the trap has sprung, his voice becomes deadly, toxic, fatal: "Well, now you've done it. You'll never change. blah, blah, blah, ______ (fill in your own favorite self-loathing speech)."

This contest is helping me change. Not as fast as I'd like. We can never DO as good as we KNOW. That's why we have to keep PRACTICING. Dan, I'm back. I'm sorry about the points penalty, but progress, not perfection, right?

Good Thoughts Jane

I totally agree. I think I can handle one free meal. It's when I have a whole day off of eating that things get scary. Sometimes I eat thing's just because I can. Or I try to squeeze all my favorite junk into that one day. I like your thoughts on still having a day off everything else. Thats what I did the first three weeks. It was just the food that I didn't have a day off. It's all about control for me. Why can't I eat just a couple mini Reese's instead of the whole bag. I have a sister in law who rarely puts anything bad in her body. She eats right, excersises like a mad woman and she has the body to show for it. When we have sunday dinner dessert is always invovlved. She never takes a whole dessert. Normally she just takes a bite or two off her husbands plate. I want that kind of control! Because the 10th Reese's tastes exactly the same as the 1st.

FREE DAY THOUGHTS

This is what I think might work for me with the "to have a free day or not have a free day" discussion. I think what I will do is just have 2 free meals a week instead of 1 & a free day. I can't handle the whole day being free, it triggers all my addict issues. However, I still want one whole day (or spread out during the week) of no exercise, no good & bad habits etc. Am I making any sense? I think this will give me the feeling that I am not "on a diet" & I will have to practice keeping myself to 1 meal & dessert 2 times during the week. Other ideas anyone?

Hi to my friends...

All is well..
Temptation of the Halloween
candy brought into work is tough!!
You would think I could resist, or
even stop with just one?  No..
So minus points for snacking :(

Funny quote of the day..
"Food is an important part of a
balanced diet."

Good quote i found

Geneen Roth says, "It takes great effort to become effortless at anything."

Discussion

Hey Friends,

We need to have a serious discussion. We all have the same problem, right? Control of what we eat.

I have read the posts about giving up free day and I have honestly thought about that, as well. Because as one smart person wrote, "Free day isn't free." (Was that you, Jane? or Sarah?) Anyway, you are right. It comes with a price.

Free day is a good thing in some ways-- it lets us have what we've said no to all week. In other ways, it's a bad thing.

It gives us the 'license' (or ok) to binge.

Isn't that what we're all trying to change in ourselves?

If we could all just have 1 cookie after dinner, we wouldn't be here, right? I know that is my problem.

I agree with Jane; we need to find a balance between becoming the junkie on free day and not having one at all. I think it is healthy and good to have a free day, but not to be the addict who cannot stop or say no.

How do we do this?

Thoughts?

Salads for dinner!

I have decided to eat salads for dinner and nothing else.  They are hearty salads but need to change something!  My weight has been stable so I need to work harder and eat a whole lot less. 
Just curious if everyone elses font is super small when they blog?  I can barely read what I write...

I Mean this blog Ha!

Just checking in!

;) love thus blog.

first test

We had our first test in training today. It totally wiped me out. It took about 4 hours. Hopefully I did good. Man I am hungry this week, could be all the stress.....

After

See?

Allergies and Blah

How weird to get a GREAT night sleep and be slogging around this morning. Seriously, I'm not sure if I even moved during the night. Blissful, blissful sleep. I feel so grateful.

Now, in spite of that, I'm feeling like I can't get my motor going this morning - kinda dizzy like I just want to put my head back down. USUALLY - not always, but usually, mind you - the cure for this is.... (wait for it)....

You guessed it. Exercise. I may have to blog for the full "before and after" effect.

losin weight

HEY! So I weighed myself this morning and it is the lowest I have weighed since coming home from my mission! I am still not at what I weighed before my mission, but I am getting there! Wahoo! I am glad I am doing this belly bustin, even though I don't hit perfect every week, I am trying and that is what counts! Thanks every one for your examples.

T-Shirts

I wish I could wear T-Shirts to work. The other day (not a "go-to-the-office" day) I wore my "The Fourth Stooge" T-Shirt and it made everyone smile. They couldn't help it. I mean, who looks more like Curly than I do? Nyuk-Nyuk-Nyuk.

Signing in

I'm tired...
Nyquil is finally kicking in,
and I can breathe!!
Is having no appetite a good thing?
I can't taste anything, anyway.
Hope this cold is on its way out!!
Thanks for making me smile with your
blogs. Let's all keep up the great work.

NO FREE DAY?

No free day? It sounds good. Here is my personal concern- I would like to hope that I could find some balance on Free Day. I would like to think that I don't have to become the junkie every Free Day. Maybe I'm expecting too much of myself & it would be easier to not have a free day. I would probably loose more weight. I am going to give it some serious thought.

checking in

I'm here.

Need to go to bed.

Jennifer,

I need a haircut!!!!

checking in!

685 for the week!

I sent Jennifer and Laureen a text with my points on Friday.  Maybe they didn't receive it and pass it on.  We went to Snow Canyon and didn't have coverage....
Went over all of your blogs!!!  Wish I was doing as well as all of you.  I really need to focus on not eating so much.  Why is it so hard???  Can I get my jaw wired shut.

Monday, Monday

Just walked over 3 miles. Sweating. Feels good. Free day OVER. Also feels good. Chocolate IS overrated. Really. The best thing I ate all day yesterday? The healthiest meal: grilled flank steak, steamed potatoes, roasted parmesan vegetables. Okay, I DID have one too many orange rolls. Free day, remember?

"It is not work that kills men, it is worry. Work is healthy; you can hardly put more on a man than he can bear. But worry is rust upon the blade. It is not movement that destroys the machinery, but friction." -Henry Ward Beecher

Let's go - game on!

U-turn

I'm with Alyssa. I'm going to make a legal U-turn (to use a Dr. Oz euphemism) and finish out the contest without taking a free day. Great idea - because I don't feel so great either (although I do have to say that the funnel cakes were really fun - at the time). Thanks Lyss.

p.s. I'd like to welcome Kristin back from the brink. That was a close one...

Goal for the rest of the contest

Ok- Goal is to have no free days and to only have sugar (natural sugar in fruits and what not...) in the morning. Here comes a great couple of weeks!

I'm with ya Lyss

I can not be trusted with free days. The first three weeks of this contest I didn't take one and I felt great. I lost almost 10 lbs in three weeks. The concept of free day sounds amazing , but I would have to agree with Jane's description of being an addict. I go so overboard that I make myself sick or the next day I'm craving sugar so bad I want to scream. I just need to find a balance. Moderation is key. I feel like an 18 month old trying to figure out how to use a fork!

happy sunday! It was a great day. I think that I want to go on a no free day streak till the end of the contest. Anybody want to join?

FREE DAY AIN'T FREE

Thanks for your lovely thoughts everyone.

I think Free Day is crap & certainly not free, since I have to pay for it by the rotten way I feel after it for at least 24 hours. I have been OK with some of my free days but other days I act like a drug addict. I watch myself eating stuff I don't even want just because it's "Free Day" & "oh no I won't get a fix for 6 more days." (Picture shaking & slurd speech & panting breathing). I love what it's teaching me, however. I am having a hard time finding the balance for free day. Oh well.... stand up, brush off, move on...

I am inspired

I love all your blogs. I need all the inspiration I can get! I am in a major rut. I need someone to smack me around and knock some sense into me. I appreciate all of your quotes and your wonderful thoughts. Keep them coming. I'm in major need!

feeling good about being back on the portions and healthy track. My body seems to do better on my non free days.

Happy Sunday

Thanks, Jane, for the great post. Great to remember. It reminds me of Norman Vincent Peale. I heard a speech of his, years ago, where he said that when things were going very smoothly and trial-free, he would actually pray, "God, don't You trust me anymore?"

Yeah.

I found two quotes this morning that were very good for me today:

"Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn." - Harriet Beecher Stowe

"We are responsible for the duration and intensity of our temptation." - Neal A. Maxwell

I'm thinking that the duration and intensity of a temptation has to do with which way we are facing. If we look down, the pull of gravity, natural man, and old habits, will make the temptation seem too great. But if we can look up, towards where we want to be, we will keep pushing.

LOOK UP! The tide is turning as we do this contest! We can do this - we can change! As we consistently start over and live correct principles of health, the Lord's grace will begin to change us, transforming us into people who prefer healthy habits.

Happy Sunday, everyone!

Epictetus

Who said: "No great thing is created suddenly." Have a great week everyone.

Looking forward to a new week

I am going to have a much better week and hopefully a much better attitude.

hey sarah!

Just wondering if I could get your score for last week. I know you were heading to st. george for the weekend so maybe you didn't have internet service. Hope you had a great time. I had a great saturday spending it with my daughter for her birthday. she turns 17 tomorrow so we celebrated today. We went and got out hair done (great job jodi!) and waxed eyebrows (ouch) then went to red mango (her favorite place in the whole world) for pumpkin spice yogurt with graham cracker crumbs, and double serving of mochi! then we went to cafe rio for her favorite pork tacos, then off to the mall for some shopping. what a great day! I love my girls and spending time with them.

Almost Forgot

Late Saturday night (yes, 9:00 is late for me...) and I almost forgot to blog. We've been going strong since early this morning. We went and watched our 5 year old grandson play in a soccer game. Talk about a hoot. Our son described it as watching someone trying to herd chickens. We got to the temple and then went on a date with our youngest son and his adorable new wife. We ate dinner at the Blue Lemon; a new avant-guarde bistro kind of establishment, which serves really healthy dishes (like the salmon I had). They have sweet potato "fries" that are baked (not fried) and are so good you'll never want regular fries again. It was a good day.

Excellent post from Jane - very profound and inspiring. We all could quietly reflect on that knowledge as we worship tomorrow and be very "up" for the coming week. Thanks Jane. Thanks to all for their heart-felt posts. It is very rewarding for me to feel close to you all.