Hey, a post from me!

How about that shit? I posted.

I've been to the states and back. Had fun, spent too much money, spent too little time with my kids and grandsons, and parents, sister and nieces, or at least it always seems like I do.

I got fat, blood sugar went way out of control despite watching what I ate.
I went to the gym at least 3 times a week, mostly 5 days a week.

Found some good places to eat in the local area.
Went places we haven't been before.

Watched the sunrise from the top of Mt. Washington, 6288 feet up in 60 MPH winds
Went zip lining on Wildcat Mountain WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO!

Got some house painting and cleaning done.

Spark On!

Now I'm back in hell until May.

I'm here

Jsut a note to say I'm still here.

I DID find out "the rest of the story" or the "real story" from what happened in October regarding my family.

No stitching yet.

It's official--I guess-MAY BE OFFENSIVE

THIS POST MAY BE OFFENSIVE TO SOME VIEWERS, ESPECIALLY MEN AND WOMEN OF CHILD BEARING YEARS.

So it's now been 12 months, 370 days and 54 weeks since the last start and end of my last period! So I guess that officially makes me menopausal and can't have any more babies. That is kind of sad but at the same time woo hoo, no more surprises! I do not know if this came about naturally, if it was caused by thyroid problems that brought on the diabetes or if it was caused by diabetes that brought on thyroid problems. I do not know if the hot flashes and night sweats are caused my menopause OR if they are the HUGE HIGH spikes in my blood glucose levels that I can't seem go get under control. Either way WOO HOO!

And yes, I still can't get the diabetes under control. I guess gaining the 10lbs over the summer caused my blood glucose levels to go up and not come down. I DO watch what I eat, I DO exercise but the weight just is not coming off. The same 3-4 lbs comes and goes on a monthly basis but I just can't seem to get rid of it permanently.

Stitching? Nope. Haven't stitched a thing since before Christmas. I think about it every day though. I haven't even visited most of my favourite message boards or browsed the new patterns, can you believe that?

That is my story for today

THANK YOU!

I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you to those of you that downloaded the book for me. I know I'm not going to win anything but I was hoping to Spark some of you.

I had a sprained foot yesterday and couldn't do much in the way of exercise and of course it was a day when I wanted to be up and doing things. The foot is better today so I will see what I can do.

I just really wish I could get myself interested in stitching again.

PLEASE HELP ME!

This is real, legitimate and official. This is NOT spam or a scam nor will you get a virus. I know all of you are tired about hearing about SparkPeople but I LOVE the site, they have helped me change how I eat, they have helped me LIKE exercise, I have read GREAT, informative articles, I have met friendly, warm, supportive people, I have won a couple prizes from the site and now I need your help.
If you read my previous blog, you saw that they recently published a book called The Spark. There is a contest for all kinds of prizes for members who have friends and family download the first chapter of the book. You can follow this link: http://book.sparkpeople.com/book.asp?u=RD03875

As you may know, I am an active member of the popular healthy-living website, SparkPeople.com. In an effort to help SparkPeople live out their mission of helping millions of people reach their goals and live healthier lives, I have joined a contest they're holding called "The Spark Free Chapter Challenge." If you have one minute to spare, I could use your help, because I REALLY want to win!

So here's the deal with the challenge…

Chris Downie, SparkPeople's CEO and founder, recently published a book called "The Spark" that offers a proven new approach to improving your health, transforming your life and reaching your goals (for example, real people have lost over 10 million pounds using their free online program)!

People like me who are helping them "Spread The Spark" through The Spark Free Chapter Challenge are encouraging our friends and family to download a FREE chapter of "The Spark" book. And for every person I can encourage to download the chapter, I will get an additional chance to win a $500 weekend getaway and other prizes, as well as something they offer called "SparkPoints," which also help motivate me to reach my goals.

All you have to do to help is download a free chapter from The Spark book. Nothing else. To do so, simply go to http://book.sparkpeople.com/book.asp?u=RD03875 and click the button to download your free chapter.

If you would be willing to help me with this, I would truly appreciate it, and I also think you will enjoy reading this free chapter from "The Spark". I know I did!

Thank you for your time. I really appreciate it.

RD03875

You can also go to iTunes and download The Spark and listen to it with your iPod!

Get The Spark today!

SparkPeople has come out with a new book and it is GREAT! Author and founder of SparkPeople.com Chris Downie has written a book to explain the system behind SparkPeople and to tell why and how it was created. It is an inspirational book to help motivate YOU to Spark Your Life and get healthy and feel better. I Highly recommend it! You can read the book, sign up for a SparkPeople account, get free goodies, meet LOTS of friendly, motivational, caring people to help you along your journey! You can join a team for cross stitchers, high blood pressure, dog lovers, House tv addicts, state, city and local teams, medical issue teams, your favorite sport teams, so many teams for support! I LOVE my SparkPeople!
For More Information about this GREAT book, read this page:

When you join, make sure you put my Spark name RD03875 when asked how you found SparkPeople.
http://book.sparkpeople.com/inside-the-book.asp

"I can't imagine living my life any other way. There isn't anything that is impossible! I look forward to seeing what the future has in store for me! Nothing can stop me now!" Learn how MILLIONS, like Leah and Melissa, have transformed their bodies and their lives forever!

A new book from the experts who created SparkPeople.com, America's most active weight-loss and fitness site, offers a visionary approach to weight loss that has a proven track record of 10 million pounds lost–and counting! The Spark: The 28-Day Breakthrough Plan for Losing Weight, Getting Fit, and Transforming Your Life This groundbreaking book will connect the dots between weight loss, fitness, better health and lifelong goal achievement. You'll discover: How to increase YOUR odds of success with the 27 proven secrets of success used by thousands of successful SparkPeople members and 100-pound losers A 28-day program that distills the best of SparkPeople's tips and advice into a simple, fun, easy to follow program–all new and available only in this book! A special workout program created by Coach Nicole, featuring SparkPeople's 10-minute exercise solution to help you fit in 10 minutes a day! Delicious SparkDiet meal plans and a mix-and-match meal system that lets you eat more delicious foods that keep you satisfied while losing weight The Spark's special formula–a breakthrough combination of strategies that will lead to the end of dieting, lasting weight loss and better health The Spark is for you, whether you're just starting out or are ready to take your program to a whole new level! Sneak Peek! Read a passage from the new book... (Scroll over the text to pause) SMALL STEPS "Don’t worry if you think these steps are too small to be effective. According to our Secrets of Success survey and what we’ve seen in thousands of member’s lives, we know that this somewhat counterintuitive approach works in losing weight." – page 96, The Spark FINDING NEW SUCCESS "You might find yourself thinking ‘That won’t work for me’ Just keep in mind that as you take small steps...techniques that may not have worked for you in the past might start being successful as you weave different areas of your life together in a new, exciting way" - page 21, The Spark

GREAT PRICE: Get great prices from our online retailers like Amazon and others, plus this limited time coupon: For use in stores. Combine with 20% off in store for 44% off! Click here for the coupon SPIN & WIN GIVEAWAYS: Order the book now and you'll have chance to "spin and win" The Spark Instant Prize Wheel to get one of many fantastic prizes including a variety of SparkPeopleStore Gift Certificates, 50 to 200 SparkPoints, a copy of the new Coach Nicole's Fit, Firm and Fired Up DVD and possibly even a call from the author, Chris "SparkGuy" Downie himself. EVERYONE IS A WINNER! FREE GIFTS WHEN YOU ORDER: FREE EXERCISE VIDEO Get an exclusive 10-minute workout video from our new DVD The Spark: Fit, Firm & Fired Up in 10 Minutes a Day! FREE ONLINE MEMBERSHIP TO BOOK BONUS PROGRAM You'll receive free access to an EXCLUSIVE online program that includes: A SparkPoints tracker with chances to win prizes! New content, recipes and workouts from The Spark Downloadable tools, trackers and journals for the 28-day program EARN 500 SPARKPOINTS If you buy now, you'll receive 500 SparkPoints automatically! SparkPoints is SparkPeople's exclusive virtual reward program created to award points for performing tasks and activities that we've seen help make our members healthier and more likely to reach their goals. SparkPoints is a great way to watch your progress (in addition to or instead of the scale or stopwatch)! Learn more about SparkPoints Eat More to Lose More! Learn how you can EAT MORE of these foods and LOSE WEIGHT! Eat a great breakfast! Eating breakfast has been proven to help people lose weight, keep it off–and prevent overeating later in the day. Go ahead--snack! Nourishing yourself with healthy snacks before you get too hungry prevents you from bingeing later. Add fruits and veggies to snacks, drinks, and meals They keep you full, give you energy, and "crowd out" your cravings for unhealthy foods. No calorie deprivation! The SparkDiet discourages extreme calorie cutting, which can harm your body's ability to lose weight. You'll eat three good meals plus one or two snacks a day. Indulge Learn to live by the 80/20 rule. If you eat well most of the time, you can fit treats into your healthy diet without feeling deprived.

Take a look inside the book! Learn more about the exciting features of the book, including our first-ever "secrets of success" survey, the 28-day program that distills the best of SparkPeople's tips and advice, and so much more. Review the table of contents and preview the first chapter of The Spark for FREE! The Spark Promise: More Than a Diet A revolution is taking place–a community movement of millions of people discovering a new way of living and thinking about their weight, their health, and their lives. They are embarking on a journey with a proven system that builds confidence, supports personal growth, and inspires weight loss. And they are reaping great benefits, such as higher levels of happiness, more energy, improved health, the desire and ability to reach new goals, and increased connections with other people... TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Chapter 1: My Story From a painfully shy child to a successful entrepreneur, I discovered my life's mission of helping others. SparkPeople was born. PART 1 The Fuel for Improvement System These four cornerstones are the philosophy behind the 28-day plan. By taking action in each of these areas, you can spark every aspect of your life. Chapter 2 CORNERSTONE: Focus Chapter 3 CORNERSTONE: Fitness Chapter 4 CORNERSTONE: Fire Chapter 5 CORNERSTONE: Positive Force PART 2 The SparkDiet 28-Day Plan We've taken our online program and distilled the best, most powerful elements into a fun, easy and incredibly powerful 28-day plan. Find out what can you accomplish in 28 days! Chapter 6 STAGE 1: Fast Break Chapter 7 STAGE 2: Healthy Diet Habits Chapter 8 STAGE 3: Lifestyle Change Chapter 9 STAGE 4: Spread the Spark Resource Section This section is packed with practical advice, fun workouts, delicious recipes, trackers and tips–everything you need to get started and see results. Appendix A: SparkPeople Mix-and-Match Meals Appendix B: Superfoods Appendix C: Ten-Minute Workouts Appendix D: Healthy Lifestyle Pledge Appendix E: SparkPoints Appendix F: SparkPeople Secrets of Success Member Survey Results Appendix G: Tracker Pages Acknowledgements Endnotes About the Author Receive 1,000 SparkPoints when you read the book!

GREAT PRICE: Get great prices from our online retailers like Amazon and others, plus this limited time coupon: For use in stores. Combine with 20% off in store for 44% off! Click here for the coupon SPIN & WIN GIVEAWAYS: Order the book now and you'll have chance to "spin and win" The Spark Instant Prize Wheel to get one of many fantastic prizes including a variety of SparkPeopleStore Gift Certificates, 50 to 200 SparkPoints, a copy of the new Coach Nicole's Fit, Firm and Fired Up DVD and possibly even a call from the author, Chris "SparkGuy" Downie himself. EVERYONE IS A WINNER! FREE GIFTS WHEN YOU ORDER: FREE EXERCISE VIDEO Get an exclusive 10-minute workout video from our new DVD The Spark: Fit, Firm & Fired Up in 10 Minutes a Day! FREE ONLINE MEMBERSHIP TO BOOK BONUS PROGRAM You'll receive free access to an EXCLUSIVE online program that includes: A SparkPoints tracker with chances to win prizes! New content, recipes and workouts from The Spark Downloadable tools, trackers and journals for the 28-day program EARN 500 SPARKPOINTS If you buy now, you'll receive 500 SparkPoints automatically! SparkPoints is SparkPeople's exclusive virtual reward program created to award points for performing tasks and activities that we've seen help make our members healthier and more likely to reach their goals. SparkPoints is a great way to watch your progress (in addition to or instead of the scale or stopwatch)! Learn more about SparkPoints