Well, the kids have been on me for a couple of weeks to update our blog, so here I am. We had a really wonderful New Years Eve and day. And then there was the cold! It was 7 degrees with a wind chill of -3….Brrrrrrrr!!! I couldn’t wait to get out of Illinois (sorry Brent and Amanda) and back where it was warm. I went to work on Friday, January 5th and told everyone I was glad to be back where it was warm. Everyone looked at me as if I was crazy….remember, I work in Dallas and it was 38 degrees. Warm for me, cold for those who are accustom to much warmer temps!

So, I guess there is this family contest going on. One of the reasons I was pushed to get our blog updated. It has to do with all the weight a number of us have gained over the last few years. Apparently Chris and Lara are working out fairly regularly and trying to cut back. Lara is TRYING to work closely with Chris but somehow he is beginning to push back a little. Keep it up Lara! We all support your effort. Of course Lara doesn’t need to loose weight…she needs to gain a little! Brent and Amanda reached their goals a few years ago and for the most part are maintaining well. Oh, the gain a few pounds but quickly work it back off. So they are being the motivators for the rest of us…thus my reason for writing now! HA!

Darrell is trying the Slimfast drinks. He likes them and they serve as his breakfast. However, he just can’t seem to break the burger and fry habit out on the road. I explained that McDonald’s serves salads but he says they get boring really fast. Darrell has a high Cholesterol rate, so he really needs to cut those burgers and fries. Anyone with suggestions for his road meals please give him a call. He needs all the moral dietary support he can get.

I, on the other, have been trying to look at something different. I’m trying to cleanse my system. Ok, it isn’t as gross as it sounds! Basically we all have toxins in our system that build up over a period of time. It comes in the form of the chemicals put into our foods, into the animals that end up on our tables, in our hair and body products that are absorbed in to our systems and in chemicals sprayed around our yards. On the Wednesday after New Years Brent, Amanda, Makenna and I went to a Chinese restaurant and the next 2-1/2 days I was miserable, hurting from head to toe. Toxic MSG! I picked up some books on cleansing and organic eating, a juicer and some organic foods. Interesting enough there is a section on Fibromaylsia and toxicity, which really didn't surprise me. The organic foods are not as easy to find as I thought but I found enough to get me through the next week. I began with juicing lemons. Basically I took the ends of the lemons and a portion of the thick outer skin. I placed them in the juicer and juice flows out one side while bulk is kicked out the other side. The juice was a bit of a milky color but tastes very lemony. I have been putting about ½ ounce in each bottle of water which has helped me to drink more water. After two days of drinking about 10 glasses of water and eating some organic granola cereal and some fruit I felt sooooo much better! The side benefit was the loss of 7 pounds, 3 of which I re-gained when I went back to whole foods again. One of the books gave ideas for getting rid of toxins but in reality it sounds more like an external cleanse which is not the same as organic foods. So, still trying to find a store that can accommodate me!

So, stay tuned to our blogs as we all try our hand at the West Biggest Loser program.