Found a Pen Pal on the Bulletin Boards

[LaRae]

so we moved over here! Determinedtolose (love that name), I had thought about 2BANUWOMAN, but I decided against it. I have seen some really good ones. I don't have much time right now, so if you will write your life story, I will get back to you later this evening or in the morning. Just kidding! I do want to learn more about you. Sorry that I'm in such a hurry all the time! How did you find this website? However, I'm glad that you found it. I think it is so helpful. I'll bet that you will enjoy the recipe room. For this Christmas in July on Friday, I am using recipes from the recipe room. I will probably take in too many carbs, but, at times, I think is okay, as long as it just ever so often. I do plan to be careful. I am having cold shrimp w/low carb cocktail sauce (I made), rumaki (w/o the water chestnut), chicken tenders, veggie tray w/ranch dip (I made w/the Hidden Valley packet), impossible pumpkin pie (low carb version), and a recipe called splendid pecans. Obviously, DH and I will be having that for dinner, too! Again, as I write this book, I really need to go! Always look forward to your reply. LaRae

[Determinedtolose]

Wow! You are quite the gourmet aren't you! LOL Your dinner sounds really good. I'm only serving left overs , that's okay, my husband is not picky. I've been quite surprised by him lately, he's actually started saying grace at dinner. I guess my meals have been pretty impressive.

Anyway, I want to just say this before I go on. I know you're busy, so please do not feel pressure to write if you don't have time, okay. I know how it is LaRae. If you're able that's great, but just so you'll know I'm not in a hurry either. If I'm here I'll just plug away, and you can write when you have time, no problem.

Okay with that out of the way.
I can't believe I found that little icon, , I mean it was there so obvious, but I just didn't think about. I can't take credit for that, I know the Lord showed that to me.

We got a good soaking here today again, I'm so thankful for that. I love the rain, I just get really excited. It looks like we're looking at rain for the rest of the week, so that means our grass is going to grow like weeds.
My husband will be happy about that, he gets to mow it, LOL.

Well, I'm gonna start dinner now, I'll talk to you later on.
Have a good evening if I don't hear from you!
Diana

[LaRae]

I enjoy "talking" to you so much that I find myself back here at the computer every chance I get! I'm not really gourmet, but I do like to cook, and I like the challenge of coming up with meals that are low carb. Is your DH on the low carb, also? My DH decided to eat along with me, not that he has very much to lose, and, of course, has already lost more than me! Isn't that typical? I found a recipe for those country style ribs in a crockpot, so I thought that would good for today since I was busy. My DH is mowing and watering, so we haven't eaten yet! I thought Arizona was dry. We were in a horrible drought last year with wildfires, etc., but this year we have had a record year of rain. It's great for our gardens, but the poor farmers lost their wheat. It was wierd. It warmed up early, and we got a lot of rain, so there was a lot of growth, then we had a late freeze. The wheat was gone. My mother is married to a farmer. When my dad died in 2000, she remarried in 2003. They had gone to school together when they were young, and he lived just down the street from them at one time. He's really sweet, and they really love each other.
I wanted to ask you if you exercise, and if you eat any low-carb products?
I have ordered some things from netrition, such as the DaVinci syrups, etc., but I think, as I have said before, I was trying too many of the recipes too quickly. I'm going back to the basics. How are you doing? Do you weigh every day? I'll stop now; I must sound like a "chatty kathy", or are you too young to remember those? LaRae (Thanks for the info. on the little triangle; I never thought to check that! It's good to know!)

[LaRae]

Sorry, Diana, I also wanted to say that the same goes for you, too. If you get busy or for whatever reason, don't feel that you have to respond to my posts immediately, either. I'm very easy-going, and I check on The Century Club (unfortunately), Atkins Nutritional Approach (where you posted), the Main LowCarb Lobby, and, of course, the Low Carb Recipe Lobby (or whatever it's called). I think you almost have as many posts as I do; I didn't realize that. I guess that we can PM each other, but we'll worry about that later. I wonder how long we can post on the pen pal thread; I don't think it specifies a time limit. Oh, well . . . have a great evening! LaRae

[Determinedtolose]

Hi LaRae,
How funny, I know I find our conversations very nice and I feel comfortable talking to you. I think we can do the other type of communication. If you know what to do, let me know and I'll follow. Like I said I'm still trying to figure my way around here.

I just finished dinner myself. I made my Husband hamburger patties with onions and bell pepper and a nice salad. I made these chicken patties with canned chicken, diced bell pepper, green onions, egg to bind, mayonaise and salt and pepper. So I just cooked it untill golden brown, it was easy. Not too shabby.

I get alot of my recipes from a website called Linda's Low Carb Menus and Recipes. She has a big assortment of different foods along with pictures.
Everything I made from her website has been really good. She even has down how many carbs for the servings. She also has menus as well with the carb counts for the day, even for the induction phase.
I really like it.

I will definately check out the one you mentioned too. I love collecting recipes, I'm a cookbook collector. I have also printed out tons of recipes online, there overflowing on my kitchen table and hutch! LOL

My mother in law has given me some old cookbooks, I love them. She's given me many recipes too. Around the first or second week of Christmas, I go to her house and help her make cookies. She makes about 15 different cookies in that one day! I do all the messy and tedious ones for her, I love it. That's our tradition. She introduced to me some cookies recipes that I make every year myself and my whole family expect them now. It's funny. That's how I got inspired to make tons of cookies too. I figured if she can do it, at her age, bless her soul, then I can do it.

My husband isn't quite doing low carb, although he has stopped eating some bread. I make him sandwiches for lunch using the Aunt Hatties low carb bread. He eats what I eat for the most part. If he wanted a pizza I would say sure go ahead! LOL. I'll eat chicken wings and a salad. Oh and speaking of wings, you know what I did? Sunday my husband grilled some chicken wings outside, oh they were good. But yesterday with the leftovers I was trying to figure out what to do with them, so I had bought that Waldens brand sugar free and low carb maple syrup. I mixed a little bit of that with a few drops of hot sauce and brushed it on the wings after I warmed them up and they were sooooooo goooood! I was so happy how they turned out. They were sweet with a little tang to them.

I guess I could go on and on too. But I save more for later. If you just want to read this if you come back on here tonight, feel free just to read. You can always respond tomorrow if you want. I may take a peek later on myself.
I'm going to get some reading in before I go to bed.

So incase I don't talk to you later, I will talk to you tomorrow.
Goodnight and God Bless!
Diana

[Determinedtolose]

So how are you doing today LaRae!
I'm up early in the moring. . I'm always up early by 3:30 of 4am. My husband gets up and for work, he leaves around 6am.

So today, I'm just going to work and see how busy I'm going to be. I work for my Dad, he has a home office and I live across the street from my parents, so all I have to do is walk to their house. How funny huh!
My Dad is a general contractor and builds custom houses and houses for a city agency as well. With the City, these houses are for low income housing, mainly for those who cannot afford to upgrade their house or even buy a new house, the City receives grants and allows neigborhoods to be revitalized and improved. So it's a good program.

Friday I usually work until noon, which is nice. That's grocery day for me, I like to go on Fridays and get it out of the way and have my weekend grocery free, well I try! haha.
Oh they moved my buddy thread, it's called Buddy Love, how funny huh. I got that name from a Jerry Lewis movie, the Nutty Professor. I love that movie, my husband and I can watch that movie all the time.

Well, I'm gonna for now and I will write more when I get to work.
Talk to you soon.
Diana

[LaRae]

Beautiful morning here. You do lead a charmed life, don't you? That sounds great, working for your father across the street, and you must live close to your in-laws, also? Does your DH work very close to home? My DH works for Garfield County over in the next little town, about 15 miles away, but it's all highway and definitely no traffic! (unless you count pheasants, armadillo, deer, etc. as "traffic"!) We moved to this house about three years ago when we sold our home on 3 acres south of OKC. We had decided to "pare down" and bought a home less than a third of the price. It's an older home with a detached two-car garage and a room behind it that was built as a quilting room. Can't wait to get to that room. I want to fix it up as a "studio/guest house". I can picture how I want it in my mind, but time and money is always the holdup! We wanted to free ourselves up financially, too, because we wanted to be able to help some ministries that we liked, etc. Also, I think Americans are spoiled and selfish, overall, and there is so much materialism. Don't you think? Didn't mean to get too serious. Anyway, we are really comfortable here and like it very much. If an acreage, in our price range, ever came up, we might consider it. We are right on the east edge of this little town overlooking a huge farm (7700 acres), and it is pretty quiet here.
I really am not much of a talker in person; my DH talks a lot more than I do, but, for some reason, "talking" to you, I just go on and on . . .
As for my weight, I was still at my initial 9lb. loss this morning, but I did measure my waist, and I had lost an inch. I know that some of my medications are not supposed to help with the weight loss, but I am hoping that by really watching what I eat more, like you mentioned, getting most of my carbs from veggies, etc. Do you weigh everyday? Oh yes, Linda Sue's recipes are the best. I have gotten many recipes printed out, too, and a lot of her recipes are in the recipe room, and I have seen threads about her recipes. One thread was about her deep dish pizza (I told you I was making some recipes too early), and it is wonderful. The last time I made it, I made two so that we would have one for leftovers. I can only eat two slices, DH usually only eats two, and then he takes two for his lunch. With regular pizza, I would cook two (like Tombstone), and we would eat both! I love not having the cravings!
It's almost 9:00am, and I need to get going. Tomorrow is Christmas! Really, every day should be, shouldn't it? God bless you, too, Diana LaRae

[LaRae]

How do you keep from eating all those yummy cookies? You could probably go into business selling cookies as much as you like to bake! You could call it "Diana's Delights"! I need more coffee . . . LaRae

[Determinedtolose]

Your so funny,
I was told that about my baking too from my sister in law. Maybe that's Gods calling on my life, who knows?

Wow, I really love hearing about where you're at, I would love to live in the country too. My husband and I talk about it all them time, and he keeps telling me, just say the word! Can you believe that, leaving that decision all to me. I don't think I could handle me doing that and then him hating where I picked to live, lol.
My MIL lives about 15 minutes away from us, we don't see her that often, she is so busy with her life and friends. I'm happy for her, but I think she is doing that because her husband passed away about 6 years ago, I think she is keeping herself busy because she still misses him alot. He was a fantastic FIL, he treated me so well. I was always told that I was his favorite DIL, and I'm honored by that!

My husband used to work only 5 minutes away from home, and we would both come home for lunch and eat together. Now he works for a different company and isn't that close anymore so I make him lunch now to take.
I miss the lunch dates we had, but when he comes home from work we're happy to see each other.

Anyway, maybe we should do emails. I think I'm going to check that out again and see what we have to do and how to do.

I'll check back with you later.
Diana

[LaRae]

I posted a looong message (unusual for me!) on a private message, then I hit submit, and it gave me an error saying that you are unable to receive messages. You have made over 25 posts, so I think it must be on your user control panel. When you first set up your profile, signature, etc., I believe that it gave you the option to receive private messages. You must have marked "no" on it. The user control panel is above this on the left in the blue "stripe". I'll be checking this board and the pm to see if you found it.
Hope you are having a great day. Did you buy out the grocery store? I usually do! Hey, just curious, when is your birthday? You don't ever have to tell me anything that you don't want to, okay? Bye for now, LaRae

[Determinedtolose]

I looked at the CP and even the FAQ, it says that it may be waiting activation. I don't know how long that takes, but I may send a message to a moderator to ask them.
Sorry about that.
I'll write after I send them a message.
diana

[Determinedtolose]

Hi LaRae,
I'm not sure how this all works here, but when I went to the control panel, it didn't have anything pertaining to PM. So when I checked the FAQ, it said that if we can't use it, it's because we're not authorized or activated.

So I don't know what it takes to get activated. Strange?!

Anyway, I was busy this morning, wow! I was running around today and finally got a moment to relax and cool off. It's very humid here, I'm expecting it to rain later on. I really hope so!

I probably won't go to the store until Friday, I just can't seem to want to do anything when I get home from work anymore. Well with the humidity and all, it's too much. I come home and the first thing I want to do is wash my face. Ugggh!

Well, as far as my diet is going, I've been tracking my food on Fitday, and I'm around 20-30 carbs a day. I decided to use that because I wanted to know how much I was eating instead of guessing. I'm still at 214 right now and I'm hoping by the end of this week I'll lose at least another 2 lbs.
Today for lunch, I picked up lunch for my Mom, niece and my. My mom and dad are doing lc too. So I went to Carls' Jr. and got the low carb sandwich. Have you had one of those? It's an angus beef burger with cheese, mayo and tomatoe wrapped in lettuce. I ask for no ketchup or pickles and it's actually pretty good and very filling!

Oh guess what! You know how post show up on the UCP when you visit a forum? I found a post from replying to me and it was a person who I know from another support forum I was on. Yeah, she replied and I was really happy to hear from her. She lost all her weight on Atkins, I would ask her questions about it. She is such a big help.

Well, I hope they allow me to receive PM soon, I am looking forward to reading your message.
I'll write later on!
Diana

[LaRae]

Well, we'll figure it out. Maybe they just haven't changed your profile yet, or whatever they do. I was thinking this was Friday, and when you said that you were off at noon on Friday and planned to go grocery shopping, etc. I got it mixed up. It is more humid here, too, since we have had so much rain, and we can't handle it either. I hate getting out in it. I love the rain, too.
So glad to hear about your friend! Can't have too much encouragement and help! Need to go, again. (are you thinking it's all that water?) LaRae

[LCF_Admins]

You will gain access to the PM system when you've been a member for 25 days and have 25 posts.
Until that time, please use this board to converse with your new pen pals and encourage others.

[Determinedtolose]

Okay, so I did get a response back. They said that I have to be a member for 25 days and have 25 posts.

I need to type, type, type!!!
I was looking in the Century section and I thought about starting a thread on there, but not sure what to say. You said that you get on there too?
My Dad is in the office right now, I'm going to take of business and then write some more after dinner tonight.

I'll talk to you soon!
Diana

[Determinedtolose]

Hi LaRae,
It looks to me that I have about 54 post already, but I need to be on this websit for 25 days too. I think I've only been here since, wow, less than a week? So I have awhile to go yet then I will be able to PM.

Just about an hour ago my cousin and aunt came to my parents house. We were talking for awhile and they asked me about Atkins, I guess they wanted to start that too. I made copies from the internet and gave them the information they need to know.
I hope they start it. I told my cousin, anytime you feel like giving up, call me and I'll encourage you. LOL
She laughed and said, Oh I can do it!

Okay, I'm getting home right now, so I'll check in again and see if you're on again.
Talk to you soon!
Diana

[Determinedtolose]

Hi LaRae,
I know you're busy but I still wanted write. I hope you have a good Christmas in July on Friday. The food you mentioned sounds great, I know you'll do good.
I was reading some of your earlier posts when you were talking about your farm and where you live. I was trying to picture it. It sounds beautiful where there is no commotion, where there is no hassles, just a peacful place.
How blessed you are!
What a wonderful story about your mother, I'm sorry about your dad, but your mom, to find happiness with an old sweetheart! That's a makings for a great novel.

As for my diet regime, I haven't started exercising yet. I want to and I wake up early enough to do that but I this is something I can't motivate myself to do yet. Last year, before I did any dieting, I was doing pilates, I love it! I felt so good and I even lost some weight too, I'm not sure how much I didn't have a scale at that time.
This is how gung-ho I was. I'd wake up in the morning and exercise, then I would come home and exercise, on the weekends and start over again.
If I would have done Atkins at that time, boy I would have been where I wanted to be by now.
And now that I'm losing weight, if I were to exercise now, boy I would be where I wan to be. LOL!!!
So, I guess I'll give it another try. I think I'd rather exercise on the weekends, but I don't know yet, I'm going to figure that out. haha.

Okay, I'm going to go, I'm about ready for bed. Have a great day tomorrow and I hope everything goes well for you Friday.
God Bless,
Diana

[Determinedtolose]

Hi LaRae,
How's everything going? Did everything go well on Friday?
I went to bed early last night and got up around midnight because I couldn't sleep anymore.
I'm sure I'll get tired again and fall asleep.
I checked my email and saw that my brother contacted me, so I responded back to him. He's probably thinking what was I doing up so early? LOL
It's not unusal for me to get up early, I'm up during the week between 3:30 and 4am. On Saturday's I like wake up early too, to get my laundry going and get it out of the way. I don't like to have to do too much on Sunday.
This morning around 7am I'm heading to Kohls, they're having an early bird sale and I'm in desperate need of some pants. All my pants are getting baggy and I'm having to pull them up. What a wonderful feeling!
So I thought I'd check out what they have and see if I can find something.

Yesterday, my husband decided to take the day off, which made me happy! I got off work early too and we went to the store and then went out for lunch, came home and did karaoke at home. We had fun. Tonight we're going out for to a little restaurant in the downtown area were I live and they are having Karaoke there. So my sister her boyfriend and I think my brother and his wife are going. Last weekend we went and we had a good time.
The crowd there was small and the people who sang were probably all in their 40's (includng me) to 60's. I loved it, some sang music from the 50's which I love. At the end of the night I sang "Johnny Angel", for my husband.
LOL. I also got serenaded by an older gentleman, he was so cute! His wife was there, she song a couple of songs too. They were the cutest couple!
The type of music I like to listen to are 50's through 80's.

The 80's is when I was in my 20's doing my thing, I call that my 'lost and reckless years"! It's funny how during those times we dressed and did things that now I look back on and think, I did that looked that way? LOL
I don't regret anything, because I did learn alot from that time.

Well, I think I'm going to go for now, so I'll check in later and talk to you later. And let me know how you're doing on your low carb!
Diana

[LaRae]

Are you back from shopping yet? I hope that you found some pants. I can't wait until my clothes are baggy!
Our Christmas in July went very well, thank you. We had a very good time, and I have enough food left over to last all weekend! I'm still cleaning up and putting up stuff. I'll get back to it when I finish writing to you.
Sounded like you did have a good day and evening yesterday. I'll bet that you are a singer without the karaoke. DH and I used to sing some duets for church, but he is much better than I am. Neither one of us has a strong voice, but he is very knowledgable musically. I wish I was; I never had any music lessons growing up. I sure wish I had.
We live on a large lot with half of it planted in gardens, but we overlook a 7700 acre farm. It's not ours, but I wish it was! You are right about it being quiet! Love that, although we would love an acreage, and we are watching real estate on the Internet. We said that we would never move again, but we are always looking!
Did I tell you that I was down 1lb. yesterday morning. That makes a total of 10lbs. gone, and my sister had lost 17lbs. as of yesterday morning. She won this time. She takes two Lasix (strong diuretic), so she can lose 5 lbs. easy from water weight!!
I can't get motivated to exercise either. I know that it would help; my preference is walking, but it is so hot! I have never done the Pilates, but you really liked it, didn't you! I wanted to tell you a post that I made before you got on this board. The first time that DH and I were in "the big city" we needed to eat dinner as we had gone to town after he got off work. We were used to picking up fast food, Little Caesar's, etc., but we stopped at a Western Sizzlin' (do you have those?), and got the salad bar. Then we learned that the salad bar included the potato bar and bakery. You know when I looked at the people getting the cinnamon rolls, baked potatoes, etc., my thought was that a lot of those people were heavy, and I could stay like them or eat my salad I wasn't tempted to eat anything other than my salad, and neither was DH. That was such a good feeling. We have gone back a couple of times and was never tempted then, either. There is a Carl's Jr., but I need to call and see if they carry the low-carb burger. Sounds yummy!
You said in an earlier post that your DH wasn't a picky eater and neither is mine. I would have a hard time with a picky eater. I was always told growing up to eat the food before you, and, of course, that there are children (in China or India or somewhere!) that are starving. We have so much abundance, while most of the world is hungry. I guess that's why it perturbs me.
What are you doing the rest of your weekend? We will probably do some odds 'n ends around here today, then work outside tomorrow. We are like you, we love the early morning, although I don't get up as early as you! My mother isn't able to sleep well at all, so she is up half the night most of the time. I always thought that if I didn't have to sleep but two or three hours, I would get so much done! Speaking of getting so much done, I had better get back at it. My house was so nice and clean yesterday, finally. I had let it go too long. Then after eating and opening presents, etc. I have a little more work to do. Have a great day! I'll look for your next post. Thanks for posting yesterday; it was great to read them last night even though I was too tired to post! LaRae

[Determinedtolose]

Hello!
Nice to see you back again!
I'm glad everything went well yesterday, and all them leftovers, you probably won't have to cook for awhile.
Congradulations on the 10 lbs!!
That is great, I know when I lost my first 10lbs, I couldn't believe it. That encouraged me even more to stick with the low carb. And good for you for not giving in to temptation. Seeing all those people eating things that you can't have is hard, I know that. But the more you resist, the easier it gets.
I know that you will get to your goal and if you need encouragment, just give me a hollar and I'll help you out, anytime.
I registered on that fitday website, have you looked at that?
I put on my goal that I wanted to weigh 150lbs by December, and it calculates how many pounds you need to lose to reach the goal. It say's I have lose 2.89 pounds. I thought wow, that's a lot to lose, I'm not sure if I can. So I lowered my goal weight to 180 and I'll have to lose a little over a pound a week. I'm hoping I can do that, I believe I can.
Anyway, I calculate the food I eat for B, L and D and it's kind of specific in the foods they have. Such as lettuce, it shows othe vegetables with it or a steak, different kinds or what ever you eat, it will show the details.
Then it calculates the carbs, calories, fats, etc.
It's pretty nifty.
Today, my husband is going grill us a couple of porterhouse steaks, grilled aparagus and a salad. Then later on in the afternoon, we're going Karaoking.
No, I'm far from being a good singer, LOL. I get by, but I don't think I see a record deal in the near future!
I'll check in here later on tonight and see what's going on. I know you need to take care of things at home, but isn't it hard to get away from the computer, heehee!
I feel the same way when it comes to talking to you. I think we can never have post to short or too long. So don't worry about how much you write if you feel like it. I love reading!
Okay, I will talk to you later!
Have great afternoon.
Diana

[Determinedtolose]

Hi LaRae,
Well, my plans changed this evening. I was supposed to go out, but come to find out the restaurant on does karaoke every other Saturday. So we're just going to wait until then.
How is the cleaning coming along? Hopefully you'll have time to rest tonight.

We got some rain today, it was nice, but felt like a sauna outside. Just because it's cloudy and breezing outside doesn't mean it feel good.

I had a lazy day today after we ate our lunch/dinner. I need to wash my dishes because they're not going to wash themselves, know what I mean?
I went into the Game room and did some of the posts, they'er pretty fun, I had to think for a second, but fun.
I've also responded to others post, just to let them know we'er out the and care!
Other than that, I'm just reading and learning from others here.
So enjoy your evening, no need to respond, I know you will when you have the time and can relax.
Have a good evening!
Diana

[Determinedtolose]

Hi LaRae,
I just wanted to check in with you and see how you're doing today.
I noticed you changed your picture, it's neat, it looks like a heart shaped tornado. I like the cat picture too.
So how was your day today, did you get any rest, I'm sure you're pooped and just want some peace and quiet.

I had a quiet day myself, my husband and I did a few things around the house and just took it easy.

I was trying to arrange my recipes that I had printed out from the internet. I have so many and I finally bought a couple of notebook binders to store them. As I gathered the recipes I realized how many recipes I had, not to mention I have to sort out by dish, and if they're low carb etc. So I think I may wait another day to do that.
I have even more stashed in my dining hutch drawers. Where do I start?!

How are you doing on your diet? I'm still going steady. Friday when my husband and I went to lunch I had something I shouldn't have had and on Saturday morning when I weighed myself the scale showed I had lost 2 more lbs. But then this morning I was back at the same weight before I had the no-no on Friday.
Who know's!

I hope everything is okay over there?! And I miss chatting with you too.

Hope to hear from you soon, but I know you have a lot going, so whenever you're free.
Diana