Randomness

~ SPA, Knit and Spin is in just SIX days!  YAY and YEEHAW and WOOHOO too!  Do you think I'm anxious to get away for a couple days?  This will be my second trip to SPA and I just can't wait.  Last year, I met several of my blogging friends  for the first time in person; that was so awesome.  I've gotten together with some of them a few times over the past year, but I am so looking forward to seeing them again and meeting some more of you.  SPA is being held this year in Freeport, Maine at two different hotels; the Hilton Garden Inn  (where Patti and I will be staying) and the Harraseeket Inn (where the spa services will be located).  Patti and I are heading up there on Friday afternoon and staying until Sunday.  So, who else is going and where are you staying?  I hear there is going to be a blogger's get together at the Hilton bar on Friday night after the vendors close.  That should be fun!   

~ Samm's sweater, Clover's turtle, and the spinning have all been put on hold while I've been working on this:

for Clover's new best friend:

Olivia was born Wednesday, Februay 13th around 9pm; she was 5 weeks early, but is doing great.  She weighed in at 5 lbs, 12 oz.  Olivia's mother, Jeannie, is the daughter of my good friend and coworker, Mary.  Jeannie and Samm were best buddies for years when they were little.  It's so cool that they have had babies so close together!

~ I want to share with you what we did at work for Valentine's Day this year.  For a couple of weeks before VD, there was a decorated box for us to put Valentine cards in for our coworkers.  Then on VD, the Valentines were placed in individual bags and distributed (just like we all did in elementary school).  It was really kind of fun; check out the goodies:

(Lambert and Lucy were not part of the loot; they just live on my desk). 

But wait, there's more.  Each year for all the years I've worked at Town Hall (and before that, I'm assuming), one of our coworker's, Tim, gives all the women a long stemmed red rose for Valentine's day.   Isn't it lovely? 

~ As most of you know, I quit smoking back in May (YAY); what you may not know is that since then, I have gained a "bit" of weight.  I joined the "Less W8 in 08" group on Ravelry in mid January and set some goals for January (which I promptly ignored).  I've avoided the group since because I've felt like a failure.  However, Samm and I are joining Weight Watchers today and I WILL get back on track and get my weight back to where I want it.  I know WW can work because several years ago (Aug. '01) I joined WW and lost over 90 pounds (by Feb. '03)

Here are my before and after pictures:   

  (click pics for bigger; I can't bear to put them any bigger than this)  Believe it or not, the before picture was actually after losing almost 30 pounds!

Here I am now:     Granted, I'm nowhere near where I began in '01, but also nowhere near where I was from '03 thru mid '07.  My plan is to report in to all of you each week to let you know how I made out at my weigh in for the week. I'm hoping that putting it out there for all to read will help me stay motivated.  My goal is to lose 25 pounds, which doesn't seem unreasonable.  If I could lose over 90 pounds, I can certainly lose 25, right?  Wish me luck!

Have a great day and a great weekend!

Comments

[Chris]

Oh, Olivia is lovely!! The Valentines do at work does sound fun.

And of course you can lose 25 pounds. I believe.

[brenda]

I'll be at SPA again! I'm not staying overnight, but may go up on Friday night for the meetup and again for the day Saturday. I'm bringing my wheel (can you believe last year we learned at SPA?!) and plan on trying out my navajo plying techniques.

You should go back to the LWin08 group, I've joined and everyone is very supportive. Good luck with WW!

[Colleen]

ooohhh SPA. so.jealous. take LOADS of pics please!

and I need to get back on the proper eating schedule. the last couple of weeks have been rotten and I've eaten most of every box of girl scout cookies I could get my hands on PLUS VD candy. its bad...
maybe you will inspire me? set a good example for me?
I think I'll check out that Rav group now too..

[heather]

Yay for you! Both for quitting smoking and for getting the rest of your health back on track. Neither are very easy. I'm on a quest to loose another 15 myself, and using puppy training/walking to do it. Let's keep each other going!
As for Spa -- YYAYAYAYAYAY! I'll see you at the bar, baby. Gina and I are rooming at the Hilton. Yippee!

[heather]

Oh! btw -- LOVE the hat! ;)

[Charity]

Oooh, SPA sounds wonderful! Have an amazing and wonderful time away! And good luck with the weight loss - you can do it! :0)

[marianne]

I LOVE the name Olivia... and she's a real beauty! Dude, the world just better watch out when those two lasses come of age! actually, well before that,eh?

Julie, you're such a lovely woman, and I know just what you're talking about... those extra 25 lbs... I have the same ones needing to 'go away'... :^)
You can do it!

[Carole]

Sharon and I will be there next week - can't wait! We're at the Hilton, too. I think you're smart to jump on the weight loss now. 25 pounds isn't a lot to lose but it's enough. And 25 pounds can turn to 50 or more if you aren't careful. Ask me how I know this!

[Sara]

Olivia is adorable!!!!

Nice touch in your workplace for Valentine's Day! And, the rose is beautiful.

I need to drop a few pounds myself...since I have been living in my apartment I have gone from 130 to 150...and I feel it...so that is 20 I need to get rid of...I'm walking this year...I hope it helps and eating healthy snacks...

We can do it!!!!

[Hillary]

SPA sounds like so much fun. Have a great time.
Good luck with your weight loss goals. I'm sure that you can do it.

[Jeanne D.]

Julie, Abig congrats for lasting this long without a butt. Keep it up!!! I quit in 90 and I'm still having trouble with not picking. I've beentrying to loose for a year now and so far I've lost 60 lbs but still have many more to go. In May I joined TOPS and that has helped a little but now that I'm in Fl for the winter I'm having a hell of a timeleaving the snacks alone. Even knitting don't help. I wish you all the luck in the world. Have a grerat time at SPA.

[April]

I know you can lose the 25 pounds, I have no doubt at all. Think of it this way, the less you weigh, the fewer balls of yarn you need to buy to make a sweater for yourself. :)

[lisa]

Wow, Julie, had no idea! Good for you. And best of luck with the 25 you want off. I'm planning to visit SPA, not sure which day. Maybe next year I'll actually STAY!

[Sheepish Annie]

I know what you mean about the weight. Suddenly, I find that nothing fits...and I don't know how this happened! (OK...I do know. I ate alot. I just don't want to admit it.) I'll see if I can't use you for some inspiration and try to get back into some healthier habits! We know we can do it, right?

I'm pretty sure that I and my extra chins will be at SPA, although I don't think I'm going to be able to stay long. I hope I see you!

[AuntieAnn]

Good for you, Noolie -- here's to a healthy '08 for all of us.

[Amanda]

Julie, I'm so proud of you for quitting smoking. I have heard that it is the hardest thing to quit (one of my friends used to be a cocaine user and said that quitting smoking was harder to quit!)... If you can quit smoking, I know you can lose the weight.

Have a great time at SPA!

[Amy]

Olivia is quite a looker.

I am proud of you for not smoking for 9 months now.

[Debi]

Quitting smoking is the best thing you could have done for yourself - if you can do that, you can do anything! Good Luck and have fun at SPA!

[Gina aka Sleepy Eyes]

Oh, Jules, thank you for sharing your pictures. I think you look wonderful now (especially after quitting smoking), but I know that you want to be where you were before. You are a true inspiration and I hope to do the same throughout this year. Having to lose weight is such a terrible and difficult thing (at least to me!) and I want you to know that I am so proud of you for being so brave and upfront about it. You'll reach your goal very soon! I know you can do it!

[Cheryl]

I'll be at the Hilton too! I'm going up Thursday night to get a little jump on the weekend, can't wait!

[~Kristie]

I'd normally be jealous of SPA, but I'm going to Stitches West so I'm not too upset. You'll have a great time. I'm excited for you.

I gained weight after I quit smoking also (2 yrs 2 months) and then kept gaining, and gaining, and next thing I knew, there was an extra 20 pounds on top of the 20 I needed to lose while I was a smoker. Pathetic. I joined the same Ravelry group but stopped contributing because I feel like the odd man out because I'm not doing WW. Also I don't have as much weight to lose as the majority of the contributors.

Good luck with WW. Obviously it worked GREAT for you last time so there's no doubt you'll do it again. I'll be your cheerleader!

[Amy Boogie]

I still think you look good but I know how far that goes. I'm with you in the hope to lose a few. Congratulations on being smoke free. I know how hard that is.