April - have you filled out a fafsa form? (www.fafsa.ed.gov) It is to apply for grants and loans. I fill one out every year and I always get something in grants. I've only taken one loan and it is one that I don't have to pay bac****il after I graduate ($3500). There are also tons of scholarship opportunities, many times through the school that you're attending. I just got a $5000 scholarship and I usually end up getting other ones, too. (I've got a good GPA!) Check out those options before you max out a CC! Michelle

Hey Laurie, Today Ive had so far: Pre B-3c coffee with splenda and skim milk(3/4c all together) B-omlet w/ egg beaters, spinach, bell pepper, onion, ham(turned out huge I could only eat half)oh yeah with ff sour cream and salsa L-shrimp fajitas (only one tortilla)(ate out) S-will be 1oz. almonds or other half of omlet D-crock pot chicken and veggies S-probably fruit of some sort as I see I have not had any today Candy 50 oz of water so far no exercise

Good morning Maysters!!! It's a new week and another chance to eat healthy!! I had a "bad" weekend, not eatting-wise but just all around bad. My sister PURPOSLY tried to sabatoge my birthday party last night by bringing pie made with sugar. She begged to make me a sugar free dessert, so we settled on sf pumpkin pie (I don't like cake). I was skeptical from the get go and sure enough.... I told my dh my worry and he asked her if there was sugar in the pies and she said YUP, of course!! ggggggggrrrrrr, so I just had the tinest of pieces and didn't get sick. Some jealous ppl can be soooo freakin' MEAN!!!!! Anyway, I'm a size 4 and she's about a size 28 so guess who gets the last laugh. So, here's the plan for today: B - oatmeal S - hot chocolate with protein L - UGH, I guess tuna fish S - cheesecake (homemade w/ splenda) D - don't know yet... possible homemade pizza S - sun crisps (If I've been good all day, otherwise it's fresh veggies Hope you all have a good Monday! laurie

1. The best thing about WLS is being able to move without huffing and puffing. 2. The worst thing about WLS is the excess skin, it's driving me crazy. 3. The one thing I wish I knew pre-op that I know now is _______________ 4. Since WLS, I can now touch my toes with my palm. 5. The biggest surprise after WLS is how people saw me. When my family first saw me this summer the comments they made made me feel like I had been a walking house before. 6. The thing I expected after WLS that never happened was I would get a life and learn to get out there and socialize. Not yet but as long as I'm still walking this earth there's hope. 7. Since WLS, I just cannot get used to attention from guys who knew me previously. 8. The best compliment paid to me since WLS was that I'm really beautiful. It was kind of funny because it was at the end of the semester and the guy had never seen me do myself up. You know getting dressed up and putting on makeup. So it made me giggle but it really touched me too. 9. The silliest thing someone said to be since WLS was they asked me how much I weighed and then stated oh so your still fat hunh. This was a comment from my aunt she was on the phone and didn't see me. Fat no I went from a tight 34 to 20. You can call me what you like I know I look better than before and the fact that she's a 24-26 and said it just made me laugh. 10. My life after WLS is harder then I ever expected because the weight loss has helped me physically but I'm still discovering who I am and how to integrate my new desire to socialize with being a single mother.

Laurie, Hope things improved and the kids settled down for ya! Kathy