Thanks for the comments, guys.
It sounds like you enjoyed your Easter break, Susan. Your cake sounds yummy!
Tuesday, I love your little bunny cartoon, but it actually makes me feel sorry for them! I know - I'm too much of a softie!
Pootchi, sorry about your "no-show" customers! I thought I was going to have one of those today, too!! I hope all goes well with your surgery. You are in our thoughts and prayers!
We just spent our easter at home. Didn't do anything special. I've been slack with my exercising. My SIL has been away for Easter and we haven't walked together for about a week, and I use that excuse not to walk at all! Also my kids are off school for over a week, and I don't want to leave dh looking after them, cause they could empty every toybox in the house and he wouldn't notice!
well it looks like everyone had a good easter. I ate way too much candy. But you know what? I dont care. I sat at home with my 3 kids, 3 dogs, cat and hubby. We ate home made candies, drank fresh juice I made, got a juicer for christmas thought I'd use it, and we watched disney movies & played games till we were all cross eyed and tired.
I took phone off hook, no computer and it was just us. 
So I'll heft it up this week and work off that candy. I weighed in at .2 pounds more than thursday so no biggy, it was worth it.
Pootchie, I am so sorry 2 people were no shows, 
how rude! I couldn't believe it the first time I heard of someone doing that, I know I could never do that to someone, ban them like the plague for sure.
Susan, your days and holidays and trips always so awesome, almost makes me wanna just on a ship and head to Italy! 
Well Ladies, let's up the anti this week........how about a challenge for each of us to add a new exercise, eat more healthily, maybe a specific item you need to give up for awhile say caffeine or white potatoes for instance.
I am giving up hurting my body by adding caffeine to my no no list for awhile, I find I rely too much on "false" energy sources and not enough on natural and needed sources.<<<food that is.
I am wanting to refocus my energies on a more precise direction, really hon in on what I want and need to change for my happiness and health, so who's with me????
Morning all!
Hope everyone's Easter was nice. I went to my mother's yesterday and my pedometer read only 2,000 steps! 
Took two cakes there yesterday and they came out well. I am going to try to post pics when I get home. At work right now.
My niece requested a cake for her birthday in August, so I will have to practice the scrollwork that is on it so that it will be perfect. I find that I am having some trouble with my borders recently. Probably because it has been July since I've made a cake before this week (well, my birthday last month, too, I guess). Anyway, I am way out of practice.
Sonia, March 20th, the start of spring here, was the date of the vernal equinox. On that date, the amount of sun is equally divided with the amount of dark. So you have 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of nightime. Of course, that is at the tropic of cancer. We had 12 hours and 10 minutes of darkness where we are(or was it light).
We are still waiting for spring to get here. We are on a yo-yo thing with the temps and it has been on average 20 degrees colder than usual here. I do have some bulbs just peeking up but for the most part nothing yet. In a couple months, maybe, I can get to work on my gardening.
Nothing on the house yet, but I am not sure I can even sell it in this economy. We'll keep trying.
Pootchi, sorry that a couple people didn't pick up their cakes. I'll be praying for you during the surgery. It's on Wednesday, right? Sending happy thoughts your way.
Well, I haven't checked any e-mail since Friday. Better go and do that. I have about an hour before work starts.
Karen
Well Tuesday...everyone is welcome to visit! Just come before I leave in December...September and October are beautiful months here and fall right in the midst of the grape harvest, you can't begin to count all the wine festivals! It's going to be hard for me to leave, I will have lived here 6 years by then but I think it's the right decision. Who's on board to visit???
Morning all,
Hope everyone had a great weekend. I ate, way, way too much: cakes, cookies, candy. If it had sugar in it, I inhaled it!
But Iâm back on track this morning. No sugar, no white flour, or starchy vegetables.
Die, fat cells dieâ¦
Carol
wow, lots to catch up on today! We were gone all weekend for my MIL's birthday party and Easter. Too much food and some candy and cake. I will post my MIL birthday cake later, it turned out pretty good.
I would be if someone didnt show up to pick up a cake! I would probably call them and let them know just how much they set you back with time and money. I hope they feel guilty about it.
I loved that cartoon, Tuesday! LOL!
Today is my oldests birthday !7! We are going to Red Robin for dinner...so more eating! But he wants dessert at the restaurant instead of a cake....which is fine by me because I am tired!
sounds like everyone had an enjoyable easter!
well Happy birthday to RYAN!!!!!,,,MERISSA'S OLDEST
Just be thankful your celebrating his birthday by not giving birth!!!!! 
Kids are great and giving birth is a privilege, but not having to ever go through it again has it's perks too!
Susan, I'd be there in a new york minute if I could, I'd love to raise my kids in an Italian country side next to the vineyards anytime.
But I think my mother in law and my grandparents who hunt us down and bring us back! 
So I'll live vicariously through you for now!
carol: I am with ya on the white & starchy stuff,,, this is my ultimate challenge right there.I could live on my home baked fries and cheddar cheese. Isn't that horrible? I could eat them every day not tire of them.
Karen, I feel ya on the borders, my piping skills need an over haul, how ever I have done so much fondant lately I really think I've turned a corner with it!
Now to get out the old tips and bags I have ....some brand new never even opened,
I think I need to practice my icing making too, I am getting way too many cracks and splitting when I smooth so I must have been adding a little too much of something or not enough of something other. 
I have decided to give up my caffeine and my potatoes just for sake of health and cleansing out my body some.
OH yeah, they have moved our mini marathon to sept this year due to kentucky derby festival issues with the course, they want to make our full marathon for beginning of the festival and the mini, my race, for the fall festival instaed so I have a few more months to haul butt!
Good morning everyone and happy late Easter.
Susan if I could get on a plane today I would visit you and DBFs cousin in England!!! I so want to go!
I made a cake for our Easter celebration which turned out to be a combined birthday for one of the 2 year olds in the family. The cake was egg shaped with happy easter on one end and happy birthday on the other. It was cute but my icing cracked on the way there. I tried a new icing and not happy with it.
Pootchie, I too would be so mad if someone didnt show up, that is alot of work for you to be out not to mention the ingredients. Good luck on your surgery. I will be sending out good thoughts.
2sdae I love the challange, I think I will give up white potatoes. This will be hard but I think I can do it. I have learned that making sweet potatoe fries actually taste good. I put a little bit of olive oil on them and bake with salt and a little cayenne pepper. Really tasty! Your Easter sounds like it was very relaxing.
Im with you all on the boarders, mine bite!!! I just need more practice and will have to make some for the office, but everyone here is on a diet!
I had a wonderful Easter!!! DBFs family is so large there is always so much going on during the holidays that when we get home we are just exhausted!!! There were at least, including kids, 50 people there. I am originally from a small family just 3 of us kids and we lived a few states away from most of our family. So I grew up with very quiet holidays, I always wanted a large family and now I have it and LOVE every minute of it!!!!!
Well I better run and work.
yes, I am happy I am not giving birth today! It was definitely a painful experience!!
My niece hasnt been able to come home from the hospital yet. She really isnt improving so they had decided to schedule her heart surgery on Thursday at the University of Michigan. so I know she will be in very capable hands. It is probably a fairly routine surgery, but it isnt routine for my BIL and SIL. I know they are worried, but they want to bring their daughter home!! They say once she is recovered she should be good to go!!
I posted my MIL birthday cake I made for her 60th. if you want to take a peek...
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1202805
Merissa, that is such a wonderful cake! I could never do anything like that! You must spend hours working on them.
You know, I never went through any of the pain of childbirth. I went to the doctor for a checkup, put on a stress test, told I was in hard labor (without feeling anything), my BP shot sky high, and they did an emergency cesarian (sp?). Never felt a thing until it felt like I was being ripped apart when I moved the next day.
We didn't have a lot of people there, just families, sisters, brother, nieces and nephews. Mom and Dad didn't buy candy for everybody, just the grandkids. We didn't have an over abundance of food, either, just turkey and ham. I did have a couple pieces of cake. My mother made a couple cakes, too. One for Easter and one for my niece's birthday. I had to try a piece of hers and then I had to later try a piece of mine since it was the first time I had made that recipe. My oldest sister hadn't shown up before we had to leave after 6:00 p.m. I just cannot figure out why everybody can't come at the same time.
Wow Merissa! Your cake is amazing!!! So gorgeous!
Well for Easter we stayed home and spent it just the 5 of us. We were playing outside after dinner and guess what? One of the no-show customers came to pick up her cake 
It was about time! She asked if it would be still good for the next day. I said yeah, not fresh but still good. It was in my fridge all weekend! She said my adresse was hard to find, geezzzz it took them 3 days to find me.... I'm keeping the name on my black list anyways, and if they call again I'll make myself clear that I just can't spend my time waiting for people!
I have two cakes for tomorrow (my last of work) and Wednesday I'm finally getting that surgery done... I'm so nervous. And my dd is nervous too but not for the same reason. She has her stand-up comic show on Wednesday too!
I won't be able to do lots of things so I'll probably spend my time on CC 
I'll keep you all posted!
I hope everyone had a great Easter weekend!
Lorris, I'm glad your cake finally got picked up! Geez, it's a good thing you still had it, I'm surprised they actually thought you'd would still have it and not given it away or otherwise sold it! I'll be thinking about you tomorrow with your surgery, keep remembering that Katie said she had the same procedure and felt so much better afterward.
Merissa, your cake is gorgeous! I'm sure your MIL felt very special to have such a cake made for her.
I'm having trouble getting back into my healthy groove. The first 3 months of this, I had no problem. I got off track a few weeks ago and have not recovered yet. Again today I forgot my steel cut oatmeal that I have for breakfast. It's cooked, sitting on my kitchen table. I did not exercise this morning and did not get on the scale. Yikes, I really do not want to fall off the bandwagon! So I'm taking a deep breath, having regular instant oatmeal that I keep on hand for emergency purposes and will try to maintain a good eating pattern today. I at least did bring my lunch!
I hope everyone has a great day...
I'm with ya on the challenge, Tuesday! Every time I've wanted to munch on something today, I've eaten a carrot, so I'm feeling better about myself this evening.
Susan, it's always hard to get back onto an eating plan after you've stopped. My SIL payed about $600 for a personalised diet plan, which she stuck with rigidly for about 3 months and lost 20lbs, but then Christmas came and she ate some things she shouldn't have and could never get back on the diet again.
Otter, thanks for the info on the equinox. You learn something new every day!! We've had a much hotter March than usual. It's been like the middle of summer. Just starting to get some rain this week!
Susan, I'd jump on board if I had the money to travel! My hubby has always wanted to go overseas, and I think Italy is on his list. He'd sure be interested in all those wine festivals, anyway!!!
Merissa your cake is BEAUTIFUL!!! I hope your MIL appreciated all the time that went into it!
As for the birthing experience, the first words that came out of my mouth after my first child was born, were, "I"M NOT DOING THAT AGAIN!!!". Well, I'm a sucker for punishment, arent I??????
LOL! I said something quite similar after my first was born. My sil was pregnant at the time and I said "I am so glad I am not Beth right now!"
Well we made it out to eat last night and had a nice birthday dinner for my son. Then all of my kids started throwing up last night. It's going to be a GREAT day....
We will be thinking of you and wishing you a speedy recovery Lorris!
I was determined to only have one baby, anyway. It wasn't too bad, after a couple days of moving I was fine. Granted, they would have given me pain pills if I would have taken them but I refused them and went through the whole experience without.
Merissa, is it something the boys ate? Or have they all gotten a stomach flu? Hope they are all right.
Sonia, it is still like the middle of winter here. Lower 20's. I sure wish it would warm up some. I do have some bulbs peeking up from the ground, though. Maybe there is some hope that we will get a spring at some time in the next 6 months.
Susan, I certainly understand how you feel about it being so hard to get back on your eating plan. I have not had a breakfast since last week. I'm going to be bringing a refrigerator into the office so that I can have some good snacks and meals to prepare at work. I'll also be able to keep in stock my low fat chocolate milk (I won't drink white milk).
Lorris, still thinking of you with your upcoming surgery.
I wondered if it was possibly something they ate. But they ate differnet things and I ate some of what they ate and I am not sick....YET.... So I think it must be a tummy flu most likely. I think they have the bulk of it up, but I have a lot of laundry to do
Yeah, I havent been so great with the eating the last few days. I just ate some easter candy for breakfast. How is that for a diet?!?! I need to get back on track too. I didnt go to the gym this morning either since everyone was barfing.
to the gym Merissa! OK Susan, now that was funny because I was thinking the same thing. If someone close to me throws up I do to, cant stand it.
I am also bad today. I got up to work out, got dressed, put on the movie got it to where I left off yesterday, went to put on my socks and shoes and my socks didnt feel right. I know sounds crazy, but the seam at the toes was rough, I couldnt get it situated right so I would be able to feel it. Being Diabetic I need to take care of my feet, so instead of getting a different pair of socks I sat down at the computer looked at CC and my email and watched my movie for 30 min. How lazy was that, just a few feet away in my bedroom drawer I have lots of socks,but I just sat my behind on the chair instead!!! Good gravy I wanted to make sure I worked out Mon - Thur because I will be in Baltimore from Thur till Sat, now I will have to take my work out video and do that in my room!!!!!!!
Merissa, hope everyone feels better soon
Ok I think we need a boost here!!!
I challange everyone to take 5 minutes, sit down quietly ( or while in bed right before you go to sleep) and visualize getting back on the right track. Visualize your eating pattern changing, your work outs increasing and your waist line shrinking. See yourself jumping back on that train and heading down the track of health!!!
Come on we have come so far and we will not be taken down now!!!!!!!
DIE FAT CELLS DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Michelle, I like your boost exercise. I'm wearing a new shirt today, it's a large, but in January it would have been an extra large, so it helps to think about it in that way.
I love your sock story, because that's SO me! Thank you for "confessing", it just lets the rest of us know how normal we are because we all do stuff like that!
Merissa, I hope your household is feeling better and you've stayed healthy!
I'm happily surprised today...I've lost 20 pounds! I'm surprised, I was not hopeful because when my family visited I did not practice mindful eating (well, unless you count pasta, pizza, risotto and gelato!) and I have not been exercising. But we did a lot of walking and that likely helped.
Good luck on your No Cheat Wednesday! Remember tomorrow is YOUR weigh-in day!
darn, my neck, back and shoulder are so tender. I have hyper extended a bit of muscle behind my shoulder so I havent been able to do my walking or exercising. It hurts but it's the sharp jabs when I use my arms that kill me. 
So not much will get done besides absolute have tos.
But I shall survive.
Oh we need to keep Pootchie in our prayers and thoughts as she is having her gall bladder surgery today!<<<<<sending ya love and prayers girl!
So it's no cheat wed. ladies let's kick some fat cell booty today!!!!!!
Sorry for the short choppy typing as my arms are hurting so typing is kinds painful.....but I gotta have my p.d.t.c.c.2 fix!
20 pounds! Way to go!
I need to be better today. I confess that I think I ate more easter candy yesterday than real food. YUCK.
I think the clan is feeling better, but I did a lot of cleaning and laundry yesterday. I feel sort of "iffy" today. But I think I might be imagininging it.
We have a Health inspector coming over today. My DH called her and she said she would come out and take a look at our basement to see if we could realisticly put a kitchen down there in the future. My DH has recently been all fired up and supportive. It's nice, but I am sort of like "whoa! I dont know if i can do this!"
Wow, that's exciting Merissa!! If your DH is supportive that must be a huge help! It must be a huge thing to have to consider making a new kitchen! I've checked with the health inspector here, and they just said they'll come check my kitchen and make sure I'm using common sense!! (haven't done it yet) If I had to put in a new kitchen, it just wouldn't be worth it, I think I'd give up on cakes!
Tuesday, how did you injure yourself like that??? Too much lifting? Hope you're feeling better soon! And yes, we're remembering and praying for
Pootchi today!!
Susan, you're flyin'!!!! 20 lbs is fantastic!! You must feel so good to be wearing smaller clothes!
Michelle, enjoy your time away! (If I lived in Baltimore, I'd come see ya!!)
Tonight I'm feeling exhausted. I organised a pie fundraiser and have had to collect and collate all the orders this evening. It's been a huge job. My 2 older sons who were diagnosed with dyslexia in December are going to do the Alison Lawson programme. This programme cures dyslexia, but costs $3,000 each!!!! (One is doing it in April and the other in September) So we're doing what we can to raise money. I'm a little disappointed, because I put in a lot of work, and I've only raised $165, I'd hoped it would be a bit more. But our church has donated us $500, so that was really encouraging! Anyway, I think that's enough rambling from me!!!
I've done ok with my eating today.......mmmm, not sure how I'm going to go at weigh in!
merissa: you are so very talented. you are my cake hero...not just blowin smoke here girl!
If it can be done, YOU CAN DO IT. PERIOD.
susan: I remember the 1st time I lost 20lbs. and the rush is what fuels me today. Knowing if I can loose 20lbs. I can loose 20, and if I need to 20 more!This is only the beginning for you!
scgriffiths: do you have a paypal account?<I dont have much I know as a mother of a special needs child we can all use a hand up. So if you'll post it I for one would gladly donate what I could, and I know your cake family feels the same. Every dime counts.
Morning ladies,
No cheat Wednesday should be a breeze for me today. I broke a tooth on Monday, so I need to go in for a root canal and cap today. Whaaaa.
Marissa, that is one beautiful cake. When are we going to see you on a Food Network Cake Challenge?
Susan, way to go. 20 Pounds!!!! How proud do you feel?
Carol
Good morning all
I had on good socks this morning and did my work out. I even amped up the speed to make up a little for what I missed yesterday. I packed my clothes for my trip and put in my work out clothes and my video.
Im glad I read this before the day started. I am feeling like I want to eat everything so I bought tortilla chips and cheese dip for the day, but since it is no cheat Wednesday I will put it away, out of site, out of mind. I will forget I have it until I look for something in that cupboard and then I will be past this feeling.
Merissa I put the extra candy in the freezer, again out of sight out of mind. I forget it is up there and it is in a small cut out in the door on the top so I dont see it. I remember I have it when I really want a piece, that way I dont eat it just because I see it.!!!!!
2sdae I know how you feel a little. It is just my shoulder that is hurting for me. It feels like there is no cushion in my shoulder joint, raising my arm is painful. I hope you get to feeling better very soon!!
Susan, that is awesome that you have lost 20 pounds. You must feel great about yourself!!!
Sonya you and your little ones will be in my prayers and thoughts!!!
Carol I have had 2 root canals and they are no fun! I'll be thinking about you!
Pootchie here are the good vibes commin your way }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
off to work I go
ooooooooo root canal, that's rough!
tuesday, your shoulder/back? ouch. maybe you need a nice hotpack and an hour on the couch with no one bothering you. Oh and a little wine....maybe a movie
sonia, I am sure the program will be worth the money if it is a cure for dyslexia. I am sure it will save them from a lifetime of learning difficulties. I agree, I would donate a little something to you if you had an account or something.
I just need to get out of this post-Easter funk I guess. I think my first order of business should be to drink my water! I have been slacking. No more pop etc until I am done with my water for hte day! That should be easy today since I have nothing much to drink here!
Well the Health inspector just left. I think as far as she is concerned it is doable. Not as bad as I thought either. My DH could do most of the work too. ORiginally we thought we'd need a licensed contractor and all commercial grade equipment etc. Now we need to check into zoning and research cost. I was thinking I was a few years out from this but DH is calling all around setting up appointments.....I don't know where the money would come from either. I'd have to start wearing gloves and hairnets too , but it would be worth it!
Thank you to all for your congratulations...I could not, could not, could not have done this without you. Really, CC has been such a blessing to me and I feel so very supported by all of you and very lucky that I "know" you.
Merissa, that's KICKS!! How fabulous would a commercial kitchen be? You do amazing work, with a new kitchen and more space, I can only imagine what wonderful creations you could come up with!!
Tuesday, I hope your shoulder feels better. Don't suffer too long before getting it checked out, it could be a simple cure of meds, exercises, and something like rest or icing it (you know, with regular freezer-ice, not buttercream!).
Michelle, have a safe trip, good for you for putting down those chips on No Cheat Wednesday...you'll be happy when you weigh in next that you didn't eat them!!
Sonia, I'm also in for a donation, please let us know. Your children are lucky their parents take treating dyslexia seriously, they'll appreciate it for a lifetime...
Pootchie...when you go back and read this...thinking good thoughts, thinking good thoughts, thinking good thoughts about you...
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%