Hi Warriors!

I have a brand new grandson! Both mom and baby are doing great. He's a little early, but healthy. Weight is 6 lbs 13 ozs.

I had the other two kids all night and all today, and also Thursday evening. My son took the kids to see their brother. I didn't go because I'm still sick ☹️ But I will have many more chances to cuddle and kiss him when I'm better.

I am back home for the night and need to rest. I will have the kids again tomorrow.

Happy Day, Warriors!

Take some time today to just chil-lax to take care of YOU b/c you're WORTH IT!

Stay WARRIOR Strong!

Carb-Free Food for Thought:
The pain of SELF-DISCIPLINE is always less than the PAIN OF REGRET!
~ unknown
Onward and ↓ DOWNWARD, WARRIORS! We've GOT THIS! Woot! Woot!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Got most of my w/e "to-do" list completed yesterday, will finish up with the rest today.

I was thinking about what I am going to eat for my Christmas dinner this year. Usually it's turkey with a lovely leafy green salad.

But I was underwhelmed by the turkey I had for Thanksgiving. I didn't find it as tasty as I usually do.

Probably due to the fact that food, any food, isn't that important to me any more. It's really just nourishment for my body. Imma not saying I'm bored with the food I eat or that it's not tasty; it's just food.

I really can't complain b/c that means temptations are NOT on my radar at all. It really is a nice place to be "eating-wise"! KWIM?

But back to my Christmas dinner, Imma thinking I'll get me some "peel n' eat" shrimp and make a homemade garlic mayo to dip 'em in and of course, a leafy green salad!

Topic Change: Finished another Baby Sweater yesterday:

"Aran" & "Buff Fleck" stripes Baby Sweater

Started another one that I am doing in rainbow colored stripes with the "Aran" yarn as the main color. It's a lot of fun to come up with all these different variations of baby sweaters. Imma not bored doing 'em yet!

Karen: Yeppers, I seem to be all better, at least for now! I don't really spend much time on the internet except for in "here", checking my work and personal email and my banking accounts.

So it's not the end of the world for me... but it's very ANNOYING when I wanna go online and it ain't happening! I know you KNOW what I mean!

Imma very lucky, its a rare thing for my ISP to be down! Sounds like an easy day for sure. How sweet that you're goin' grocery shopping for your mom's lasagna ingredients. You're a good DD! Imma sure she appreciates you a lot!

Berni: Oh yeah, "Batteries NOT included"! Nice that you've taken care of that b/c there's nothing worse than having a present that needs batteries and there aren't any around...

Sounds like you're fini with all your holiday shopping etc...Thanks, my friend! Nice to be here!

De: Woot! Woot! Woot! HUGE CONGRATS on grand #5!!

So many happy and wonder-filled times ahead for all of you…congratulations!

Too bad he couldn't wait a few more hours to be born b/c he would have shared his b'day with my youngest DD who is 33 today!

Edited to add: Hmmmmm, I just saw that you updated/edited your last post at 2:15am...so was the new lil' one born yesterday (16 Dec) or today??? Awww sorry to hear you're still not well! Wishing you a speedy recovery, my friend! And you're correct, you'll have plenty of chances to cuddle and kiss the new bouncing bundle of boy joy!!!!I always forget that you go to the grands house to watch 'em...

When is your DDIL and new tax deduction coming home from the hospital??

CONGRATS, CONGRATS, CONGRATS DE!!!!!
So happy momma and baby are doing fine!!

What is his name? I bet they will have a merry christmas with a new little one around!! Cool!! Happy for you guys!!



Bernie, you had me laughing on batteries, I also bought a monster pack of double As to kiddo from Santa under the tree. Seem to go thru those like lightening around here HA HA


JO, nice sweater. You are just a machine on the afghans and sweaters!

Love your shrimp and dip for dinner menu! I am a shrimp fan and I find seafood a wonderful change from the meats. I know you will be enjoying that meal! Same on turkey for me, turkey just doesn't hold the taste for me anymore. Will still eat it if I get it offered to me, but I won't be cooking one here ever again probably, since kiddo doesn't like it either. But the price ya know, SO cheap at the holiday time but price doesn't draw enough for me to eat it when I don't want it LOL


Hey all
nothing much today
this and that....they wanted hubby to overtime today, it would be day 6 of 12 hr shifts and I told him NO. He was gonna go to work but I said nope, nada, you are dragging now so forget it. I tell ya your health is not worth a job that kills ya so heck no on another day of that! So he will mostly sleep this day away on the couch with tv which is fine, kiddo stayed up to like 3am on her Xbox and all and she won't function today either....so we will cruise thru this day quiet, easy, doing mostly nothing LOL
eh, its cool.

I might go into the soap room I have to dismantle and do some throwaway work in there. take stuff to the dump tomorrow. I need to get a little something done since I am not the tired one in the house right now HA

have tuna and pork chops for eating today.

great day all

Hello dear warriors,

How is everyone doing today?

De.... Huge congrats 🎈 on you new grandson! Another bundle of joy to luv and cherish! I know you are tired taking care of the grands and trying to get better! So exciting it will be a great Xmas!

Jo.... I have to agree just didn’t think the turkey this year was all that! I probably will get just turkey breast on a go forward! Menu for Xmas sounds delish! Allergic to shell 🐚 fish but it always looks so good. I was thinking maybe cod or salmon for my Xmas day dinner! Like I told Karen the 23rd appetizers, 24th roast! 25 I on my own yeah me!

Karen.... I Luv those chillin days when I can do what I want and then just relax and catch up on my tv recordings! I agree life is to short to burn out at work! My dad always said you can’t kill your self working and then be sick or have major health problems when you retire! Tuna sounds good may have that tomorrow! I been wanting tuna !

Have a spectacular Sunday warriors and take care of yourself!

G' Monday Mornin', Warriors!

Hope all is well and wishing each of you a totally marvelous day in every way possible!

Stay WARRIOR Strong!

Carb-Free Food for Thought:
It takes DISCIPLINE to keep going when MOTIVATION has worn off!
~ unknown
Onward and ↓ DOWNWARD, WARRIORS! We've GOT THIS! Woot! Woot!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Weekly Maintenance Update:

3 years, 10 months, 1 week and counting...

Wt = 114 lbs

I know I have been successful b/c I live my motto SEAL every.single.day:

Stay Committed 100%
Eat Properly & Exercise Daily
Accept the things I cannot CONTROL & change the things I can.
Live my life to be Successful at following this LC WOE!

Wow can you guys believe that Christmas is only 7 days away???!!! How'd that happen???? Gees, the days fly by too quickly for sure!!!

Karen: Thanks for the comment on my lil' sweater! And Imma at the "machine" comment!

I don't like to sit idle or pedal w/o something to do...so that's MY story and Imma stickin' to it! I knew you'd my shrimp idea for Christmas dinner!

I mentioned my Christmas dinner idea in my journal yesterday and Glenda (bluesinger) said something that I hadn't thought about. She said that BIG Farmers are breeding the flavor out of our protein.

Could be a combination of breeding out the flavor and being 100% OP all these years I've changed my palate. KWIM??WOW, they are working your DH hard! Retirement must be looking better and better for him. So is he still going to retire this coming year???

Your kiddo sounds like my students. They play their video games til the wee hours of the am on the weekends and walk in like zombies Monday mornings... Must be bittersweet to have to dismantle your soap-making room. The end of an era...

Berni: Awwwwwwww so sorry to hear that you're allergic to shellfish... you poor poor dear!

About the turkey, see what I said to Karen. Also, I didn't buy some generic brand it was a Butterball!

Sounds like you've got the days leading to Christmas and Christmas dinner all set! the cod or salmon idea! Yummers for sure! Yeppers life is too short and your dad was a very wise man, my friend!

Bernie, I didn't know you were allergic to shellfish...what a bummer. It is such a great option to jump on when wanted, but of course you got nice fish to eat so you have some protein variety so that is good!

Your Dad had extreme sound advice! That is what is happening to hubby. No time to take care of himself, no time to truly rest and all and we will change all that sooner than later

JO, I think our tastes do change a bit. I know I get on kicks...like a rib kick for a while then I have to change off them to chicken or seafood. But at least they still are a draw for me, that old darn turkey just ain't a draw, I would rather have a big old roaster chicken

yea, shooting for him to quit work in June....then he has 6 months off to rest and all....then come Jan. he is going to get a 'small easy job somewhere' and work til June again then quit. Kinda like work winter somewhere, then take the last 6 months of the year off...sounds like a plan LOL I can have him around all the time in summer months cause I get out and about and am super active, but winter, oh heck no, in winter I am more inside and he has to be gone for a bit of that or I think I might go bonkers HAHA

Ahhh, your kids at school also crazy about the darn games! Yea kiddo is doing just that. I told her if she does this then she has to function thru it. But she will be in bed early tonight for sure, but this week is short, she goes M-T and off friday for holiday.

Dismantling the soap room is great actually LOL No bittersweet, I was in a weird place stopping the biz for a bit, but now it is like heck yea I am done forever doing this same darn thing I was doing for 15 years I am happy with my decision finally and just starting to throw it all out, feels good kinda


DE, hope the grandbaby is doing well and everyone is in fine spirits!!


Hey all
hubby and I (wish me luck on this one lol) are hitting the stores for a few things and done with the holiday 100%. Faster shop and told him I want breakfast out and no lunch out. Bacon/cheese omelet for me. An omelet is so easy of an option and safer than trying to navigate the stupid lunch places he always wants to go.

nothing much more. day should be easy!

great day to everyone!!

Hello dear warriors,

How is everyone doing today?

Jo.... another beautiful knitting outfit! So talented and peddling while you create such beautiful work! Congrats on another magnificent milestone in you journey! So aspiring! My dad started young on the Canadian railroad worked his way to Chicago and started at Montgomery Wards as a maintenance mechanic went to school and became a certified engineer! He was there for 30 years and retired at 62. Moved to Arizona and spent the next 20 years enjoying life! He walked 5-7 miles a day. Volunteered in the senior center and took lots of bus trips all over the southwest!

Karen.... I agree it must feel great disassembling the soap room. Freedom from the constraints of having to do it. Plan for DH sounds great staying busy and lots of time for trips we the RV!
Yummy 😋 omelet today! I do luv omelets !

De.... hope you are feeling better and enjoying your new grand baby 👶 boy!
Have a marvelous Monday warriors and take care of yourself!

Hi All...

Still dragging today. Cough and sniffles still ongoing. I did get out and do a bit of shopping today. I got behind for obvious reasons! Nothing around here is complete, so much for wrapping it up early.

Shrimp sounds good over the holidays. We aren't eating at home on Christmas Eve, but I think shrimp would be great to take along. I will probably make a cheese and olive tray too.

Baby is doing great. His sister is being "little Momma" and doesn't leave his side.

DE, so glad everyone is doing so well.

The name? have they picked a name for that new baby

Sorry you are still sick. Everyone I know has some form of some crud. So far I am ok and hoping to stay that way now!


Bernie, your Dad did what we are doing There is that time to walk away from the hard work and relax a bit and enjoy life to the ultimate freedom. I can't wait actually to see Arizona. Never been to that state, in fact I been a few places and out of the country a bit, but I kinda want to hit all 50 states and just see our country now on my timeline

HEY ALL
today is simple
got all wrapping etc done
nothing more to do really
gonna pick up, move the junk off the floor kid has thrown there and all that stuff and get house in order kinda thing.
a few more bags of junk from soap room for landfill
nothing overly dramatic happening here at all

I thought kiddo went Thurs to school but she has off....so today and tomorrow and she is done.

Great day all

G' Tuesday Mornin', Warriors!

Take some time today to just chil-lax to take care of YOU b/c you're WORTH IT!

Stay WARRIOR Strong!

Carb-Free Food for Thought:
If you're off-again-on-again with carbohydrates you'll get NOWHERE fast!
~ Robert Atkins 1972
Onward and ↓ DOWNWARD, WARRIORS! We've GOT THIS! Woot! Woot!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Woot! Woot! All the Warriors posted yesterday!! Right ON!

Not too much happening here aside from the fact that it's our last day of school before the much needed Winter Break!

It's rather bittersweet b/c we've got like 10 kiddos that are moving away, their 'rents got orders to other bases or they are retiring and 6 of them are mine. Today will be their last day with us...

My Winter Break is going to be very low-keyed; involving a lot of chil-laxin', sewin', knittin', guitar playin', etc...

I am SO NOT gonna let the holidays be the “Reason for the Season” of senselessly eating OFF PLAN & face planting into plates & dishes of carb-age crap!

Imma stayin' 100% OP because I am WORTH IT and I've worked too flippin' hard to get where I am!

My journey continues...

Karen: We eat whatever it takes to keep us staying 100% OP! Imma just glad we've found what works for each of us!

Honestly I've been eating chicken breast probably 95% of the time, if not more. Imma thrilled that I don't need a lot of variation to keep me OP. I seriously am NOT bored with eating my cb and my leafy green salads... Sounds like an awesome retirement plan esp the part where he's only working during the fall/winter months when you all aren't RVing!

De's DH is retiring in Jan and yours in June... NICE!It's crazy how connected these kiddos are to their electronics. In the morning before school (we have playground duty) lots of the kids are on their cell phones playing games instead of running around playing games with others. During lunch, it's the same thing... sad really! Since they aren't socializing at all in the traditional sense.Fifteen years is a long time to be in the soap biz. So what are you going to do with the soap room? Any ideas??? And what will you do to occupy the time now that you don't do soap?Hope your shopping venture went well! Totally understand that breakfast is easier to stay 100% OP then doing lunch with a person that eats carbs!

Me too! That's cool! She starts again on the 8th of January right?? Our kiddos go back on Thursday, Jan 4th and the staff is back on Wed, Jan 3rd for the dreaded in-service day crappola!

BUT it's all DOWNHILL from there to the end of the school year!

Berni: Thanks, the next one with rainbow stripes is almost done, just need to finish one little cuff and FINI!

I've already got an idea for the next one! Awww shucks thanks again!

It really does means a lot from those that KNOW how hard this is to do! KWIM? Wow, your dad was amazing! Sounds like he really did enjoy life to it's fullest!

De: Sorry you're still not completely over your cold.

at wrapping it up early. Nice pun!

You'll get everything done, girlie. Don't sweat the small stuff! Shrimp and a cheese/olive tray sounds YUMMY! That is great news about the baby and his big sister! How's his big brother handling the new addition??

So when was he born? And like Karen asked, what's his name?

Morning All...

Lol..as posted, my new grandson was born on Saturday, the 16th, around mid-day...I don't give out names of any of my grandkids in my posts, even though I talk about them a lot! I will be happy to pm you guys with the names if you keep them private. Thanks.

I need to try and get some cleaning done today. Boy it is rough being sick. Then add that we're both sick! Ugh. It's such bad timing too. Usually with a new baby in the family I can't be pried away, this time I have to stay back until I'm better.

I still have to pick up a gift for DH. I have something in mind, have to go looking today and get this wrapped up...ha. I hate the crowds.

Take care all and have a great day!

Hello dear warriors,

How is everyone doing today?

DSS is sick again with the high fever. They think another heart infection! Here we go 8 weeks of antibiotics!

De.... sorry 😐 your still under the weather! Feel better and then go enjoy your grandson!

Jo.... your winter break sounds magnificent! I will be working and all three grandkiddies are home but it be fun!
Karen.... Xmas celebration and then RV Trip! It will be so much fun!
Have a terrific Tuesday warriors and take care of yourself!

Hello dear warriors,

How is everyone doing today?

Little less crazy 😝 day today at work sooo I got my break!

Figured I stop in an say hello 👋!

Jo.... Last day of classes today before winter break! Then. Your marvelous chillin 😎 winter break starts!

Karen..... Getting closer to year end beach trip! How exciting have you been stocking up?

De.... Hope you are able to be enjoying your new grandson!

Have a wonderful Wednesday warriors and take care of yourself!

Bernie, yes I will be stocking up on my meats to take with us on the rv trip Nice thing about an RV is the full kitchen for sure! Gonna make Tony grill alot on this trip, heehee

A heart infection? oh my goodness that sounds serious and I hope the meds work very well for him. That just sounds so scary actually, I hope recovery happens fast for him and he improves quickly!



Hey all
fast one
have this and that to handle to day
Nicole on her last day of school and she is thrilled.

JO you asked about going back....she goes back to school on Jan. 1. Yea I know. Can you believe that? I figure alot of teachers will be there with hangovers HA HA but I was shocked it was such an early return. But she won't go back til Jan 2 cause we will be traveling on Jan.1 to come home.

DE hope you are feeling better now also!


ok off to get my stuff handled.


everyone have a thrilled warrior day

Happy HUMP Day, Warriors!

Hope this finds all of you and yours doing well on this wondrous Wednesday!

Stay WARRIOR Strong!

Carb-Free Food for Thought:
I’ve been truly blessed in the fact that I don’t have any chronic illnesses ‘yet’! Imma hoping to prevent most of them thru our incredible WOE and exercising! Just trying to keep the ‘old age’ ailments at bay as long as possible!
~ me 19 April 2017
Onward and ↓ DOWNWARD, WARRIORS! We've GOT THIS! Woot! Woot!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Imma on Winter Break! Woot! Woot!

Gotta a little crazy yesterday morning and decided to bring out my inner child, here's what I wore to school:



Wish I had straightened out my Santa short for the picture...oh well!

Better yet, I should have taken 'em in b/c they were really huge! Will have to do that for next year, for sure!

Imma gonna hit the after Christmas sales and see if I can get me a striped pair of Christmas tights or leggings for next year as well!

Everyone thought this outfit was the BOMB! The kiddos LOVED it! Hey as long as it made everyone smile, my mission was accomplished!!!

Berni said this morning in my journal that her grands "still have 2 more day this week no homework just fun and games at school! Still learning so that is great!"

My response was that I kept the learning happenin' in my classes too! So much to learn/do so little time.

A couple of my kiddos were shocked that we weren't gonna "waste" the 2 days...apparently some of the other teachers were doing parties and organized chaos. I ain't got time for that!

All the other students were not surprised or "upset" that we were doing business as usual! I mean come on, I teach the fun stuff so who really needs organized chaos???

Okey dokey on to the important stuff:

De: I totally understand wanting to keep your family's names private! We only have to share what we want; no more, no less, my friend!

I was hoping the new lil' man was born on my DD's b'day (17 Dec) that would have been so cool!Hope you get over your cold so that you can cuddle and love on the new baby real soon!You aren't gonna tell us what you have in mind for your DH? Oh come on share share share! Thanks and you too, De!

Berni: Oh man, sorry to hear about your DSS! I was hoping the worst of this was behind him... hope he gets better soon!One of the teachers wants to come over during the break to learn to sew and learn to play guitar. Her DH is deployed and her fam came to see her during Thanksgiving break, she's staying home too. So I told her, just let me know when b/c Imma "game"!

NICE! Imma glad you got a break!Always makes me happy when you guys post in here! See previous posting...Imma on break now! Thanks and you too!

Karen: Wow that's crazy for sure about back to school on 1 Jan. What are they thinking??? Probably NOT, that's obvious, JMO!Thanks and you too, Karen!