A little honest straight talk....

Hello ladies, today I am going to talk about something that has been a sore subject to me for almost 40 yrs. The battle to control my weight. I was raised poor as I'm sure most of you know by now, There were times when we lived in New Orleans, I was under 6, that we did not know if we would have anything to eat for supper or if we would go to bed hungry. Most of the time we did have food, Daddy would come home sober enough to give Mom money for groceries but she had to make it last, so we got very little more than the bare necessities . When we returned to MS Momma struggled to support us, we always had food, nothing extra, no treats. I can remember the first coke I ever had...lol..it was so good. When Mom married our Step-Father money for food was no problem and we finally ate good, but the damage had been done to my small child's mind, When I got married I was determined never to do without or let my kids do without. So my grocery bill always included all the little treats I never had as a child, cookies, candy, cokes, good old southern fried food, (my favorite is fried chicken, I never knew there was anything but the tail end of the chicken when I was little, that's all that was left when my Uncle and cousins came for Sunday dinner and that was the only time Granny would fry a chicken)....fresh fruits...oh my, a banana was like a gift from God...needless to say I started gaining from that little 110 lbs girl Charles married to a lady that had to battle her weight from then on, even though I knew I would have extras anytime I wanted them, I would sometimes sit down and eat a whole bag of cookies at a time, it was like, if I didn't eat it I might never get it again.. I also couldn't stand to see food go to waste, we always had to clean our plates....so I became the human garbage disposal, anything left on Charles' or the kids' plate I ate instead of throwing it out. I was also a stress eater. Raising 3 boys can be quite stressful. And of course the more weight I gained the more stressed I became and the cycle continued.

I managed to keep my weight to a decent level until I had my 5 knee surgeries in 2000-2001..being bed ridden for 6 mos and not being able to exercise or do much walking I really packed the weight on.

When I tried to diet for my health's sake, I couldn't stick to it..so I finally just said I am meant to be fat, so fat I will be and tried to laugh and joke about it, but inside I cried every time I looked in the mirror. I cried every time one of the boys would say Mom I love you no matter how big you get, but I want you around for along time....

But the day My Connorman, who was 10 told me "Granny you need to lose some weight, I want you to be around to be Granny to my kids one day", well it really hit home.

I tried weight watcher (I lose 30 lbs, but gained it and 20 more back with in 2 mos) and just cutting back, but no matter how I tried I couldn't stay on a diet, they just didn't work, I would feel like I was starving and would crave certain foods...
I decided to go to a Dr to find out what was wrong, why I was always hungry and why I was always tired. A couple even told me I was tired because I was so obese that it was to hard on my heart. Then they would say lose weight...WHAT DO THEY THINK I'D BEEN TRYING TO DO. I NEEDED HELP. Finally I went to one Dr who suggested checking my Thyroid with a new test, and finally it showed that my thyroid only functioned 1/2 the time. When we found out I had a messed up thyroid I hate to admit but I was so happy, happy to have a health problem? No, not really, just happy to know there was help for me and a reason I couldn't lose. I started taking medicine in May.

In July I decided to go on Nutrisystem, to my amazement the weight came off and I had no problem staying on it, I have lost 56lbs. to date.

In Dec I was down 48 lbs and decided to just try to do it myself, I know what to eat and what not to eat and in the last 2 mos I've lost 8 lbs. I am thinking about going back on Nutri to loss the other 70 lbs and then will keep it off, I know now I can do it.

Nutri is a little expensive but time I average it against my food bill before..... it is actually cheaper. I pay $289.00 a month for Nutri and then my salad and veggie, along with just buying for my DH, we come out cheaper. Plus I feel so much better, I am able to do so much that I wasn't able to do before. I enjoy my trips and walking without getting tired and having to rest.

The picture on the right is me at my top weight of 280 lbs. in July and the picture on the left is one taken today at 224, I hope by my Anniversary in Aug. I will be back down to my ideal weight of 150. I know I can do it, now.

I have realized that the birds and puppies love the scraps that's left as much as me and it is alot better for them than me...lol...and that bag of cookies isn't going to vanish over night and will last for a couple of weeks, with me eating 1 at a time or 1 each day.

I felt so proud when I read my Keifer's Facebook page one day right after Christmas. He was answering those questions you can answer about people you know...the question was, if you had to describe Marjorie Smith in 1 word what would it be? His answer BEAUTIFUL. And he posted on my page how proud he was of me...
I can see the pride in DH eyes when he sees me. He told me the other night he felt like he had his girlfriend from 49 years ago back...

I hope I have answered some of the questions that some have been asking me.

I plan on staying healthy and keeping it off, I can do it this time, I know I can.

Blue Monday

It is Blue Monday over at Sally's house. Well maybe not blue times, but time for some great blue items...Please visit Smiling Sally by clicking here.....

I was so excited this morning, I have been trying for several weeks now to get a picture of this pretty little fat fluffy Blue Bird. I have gotten several snaps but he always manages to fly or to move before I get a good picture. Here are the 3 I managed to snap over a period of time........

 His back at a distance, is all I could get...

THEN, this morning, I saw him right outside my bedroom window...

what a sweet little guy he is....it's like he posed for me... I have never seen him at the feeders, Wonder why?

 Hope you have a very Happy Blue Monday

Scenic Sunday

Scenic Sunday is a photo meme of the scenery. It can be landscapes, buildings, flowers, or anything you feel it's a scenery photo. This meme will be held every weekend. To join, just post your scenery shots on your blog and link back to Scenic Sunday.

 Our City fathers have decided to return our little town to it's original beauty. After spending the 70's and 80s trying to modernize it, they have realized it was better the old way. All of the buildings in Brookhaven had balconies with wrought iron  rails around them, like the one in the picture, but in the 70's the city planners thought they were too old fashion so they tore them down...now they are starting to put them back.

 This is the same building on the left side of the street corner, last year when they first started remodeling it. The bank building on the right side was redone in the 70s, so sad the original building was just beautiful with it's stone facing. The Brookhaven sign was finally replaced 5 yrs ago. It was first put up in 1908, but was donated for scrap iron during during WW11 when metal was in short supply.

This picture was taken from the same corner looking across the railroad that runs through the center of town.

Pink Saturday....sweet charm

It's time for Pink Saturday. with Beverly at How Sweet The Sound and I signed up to show my pinks ...
Today my Sis and I took a little trip down south and did a little junkin' along the way. I found several items in Sumnit at my favorite Vendors Mall and then we went on to McComb and I found several items at different Thrift Stores...I will be showing all of it eventually but for today I wanted to show this cute picture I found. Of course I fell in love with the little blond... and then the price of $5.00 just clinched the deal..I have it hanging in my living room...Doesn't she look cute in her little pink dress and big pink bow in her hair.

The only thing I found wrong with it was the bottom of the frame has a chunk broke out of it. I haven't decided if I am going to reframe it or maybe paint this on and distress it. What do you thing?

It's time for "Friday Finding Beauty" event on Claudia's blog Dipity Road. Today all the participating blogs can post whatever they like on their blog that touched them in some way and made them feel, see, or appreciate a moment of beauty in their lives.

I believe beauty is anything that makes you smile or warms your heart.

I find beauty in the butterflies. I marvel at the sheer beauty of their delicate wings. I love how the sunlight shines through them and off of them...Be sure and check out the other finding beauty blogs...

Art Work Friday

It's time again to head over to D Dzines....where DeeDee is hosting Art work Friday.

Today I am showing a chair that I did a couple of years ago. I had all of the pictures of the step by step process....but I'm afraid I lost them when I lost my pictures a couple of weeks ago. So I will just have to show you the finished product. I started out with just a plain old wooden chair that had belonged to my MIL. I painted it black and used a pattern from a magazine...I don't remember the artist, but as usual I changed the pattern to fit my taste...
I just remebered I did a post about starting this project you can read about it here

I like the way the pattern on the bottom looks like old leather

I distressed it to look old....

And my sweet little Amish Doll gets to call it home.

Let's play hide and seek...I hide you seek....

As most of you know by now I have taken an interest in photography. I love taking pictures outside my bedroom window, that is were most of the action is now adays.....outside the window...lol..sorry about that, just could resist.
Anyhow Tuesday morning I raised the shades bright and early when I heard the birds just a singing, I so love to hear these sounds.
Well when I looked I saw that a little visitor had been to visit my squirrel feeder, and he was still there eating away. I did take a bunch of pictures, they are such interesting little creatures, their little paws look like fingers and they are so creative at getting to the food, I made a slide show of those shots, it is at the top of my blog.
I wanted to tell you about this one little feller that I spied while taking those pictures, he was on the ground digging up acorns he had buried easier...I am still laughing at him...here goes his actions... 

 minding his own business hunting for acorns...

 I know it's here somewhere...

 pay dirt, here it is...

 humm good...what is that????

 it's coming from this direction...(it was a hot rod Ford coming down the road)...didn't get a picture of it, but it was loud....when I looked back the squirrel was gone...lol...see where I found him?...lol

 It's like he is saying, they can't see me here...no, no, no...

 Woo lookie, I found food right here, but someone has already ate it... booo...

 ok, I'm outta here, see you later....

VTT and TT@ Bloggeritaville

Thrifty Thursday takes place each Thursday and is hosted by Leigh at Tales from Bloggeritaville,

It's Vintage Thingie Thursday over at Colorado Lady's place...don't forget to go by and tell Suzanne how much you appreciate her sponsoring it for us...

Since I have started feeling better and still trapped in the house because of rain and cold weather I am getting bored, so when bored I start piddling...do any of you do that? just piddle into everything....Well Sat we redid dear hubby's closet, of course nothing got threw away, he is such a hoarder, but it did get rearranged and like items hung together and selves straightened and shoes organized. Men, can you believe some of his clothes have been in there since the 1970..I'm not kidding a suit & shirt I bought him in 1976 when I first went to Packard is still there, he says it's a classic and he's going to lose down one day and wear it again...Phstt it's a 34 he's in a 42.......it will never happen. He's got to diet first....

Anyway, I get side tracked so easy, while digging I found this  item buried under a bunch of junk on his shelf...NOW HOW DID THIS GET HERE, I asked? He just srugged, who knows. Oh, he infuriate me sometimes.

This is an old vintage item I found at a Thrift store a few years ago and bought to use on the desk for opening the mail and it had disappeared a good while back. I was so happy to find it and thought it would make a good item for today since it was a thrift store item and a Vintage one at that..

 Isn't the patina on this great?...

CLICK ON PICTURE TO ENLARGE AND SEE ALL THE GREAT DETAILS...

 It says Mesa Verde and on the back it says ..solid copper....

OK, now back to piddling, no telling what I'll find.

Wordless Wednesday...the break....

 To day I'm joining Worldless Wednesday @ Embrace the Chaos

 Have a great day...

Rednesday the Guardian Angel...

Today is Rednesday over at, It's A Very Cherry World, stop by and visit with all of our red lovers by clicking here...
Today I want to show you my favorite porcelain Doll. I bought her about 12 yrs ago at Cracker Barrel. I just fell in love with her sweet beauty and size. She is a very nice size little lady. I also like her 1920's dress.
I have had her in my Bed Room ever since I got her. When my Connorman who is now 12, first noticed her he wanted to hold her, but of course I wasn't having none of that. He would reach for her and cry, and say mine, mine..finally when he was old enough to talk. I asked him one day why he wanted her so bad. "he said, my angel, keep me safe" Aww, bless his heart, I promised him when I died she would be his and he still says he wants his Guardian Angel when he's grown. He said that when he was little and went to sleep in there he wasn't scared as long as he could see her. He felt like she was watching over him.
She is a beauty...Not what I'd think of as a guardian Angel but if he does, who am I to say no.

Even her high heels are perfectly made to match her beaded purse, earrings and beads. Her feather hat and fake fur coat just set the whole outfit off.