Bear Bottom.

Isn't Audrey just the cutest? She is nearly nine months old now. She's an expert crawler, sitter, laugher, smiler, grabber, self-feeder, and cooer. She has recently begun to pull herself up on things. Mostly people or low rise toys. But she's pulling up just the same. She'll even let go with one hand. If we hold her hands, she'll even take a few steps. Could it be that I may have an earlier walker than Sarah (10 1/2 months)? In these photos, she's showing off her bear bottom. The outfit is courtesy of Auntie Rae and Sarah. We have pictures of Sarah in the same outfit, only she grew out of it much faster. Yes, it's a little dirty, but that's what happens when she crawls into the kitchen to eat the boys' breakfast scraps before Mama catches her!



She kept turning around to look at the camera, so I finally had to hold her up and take the picture blindly on this last one. I finally got a "bear bottom" shot, though!

What Makes It All Worth It?

I'll tell you what makes it all worth it. All of the mundane tasks that mothers do every day are worth it just to hear one comment like this one once in a while:

I had just finished cleaning the family room (which was no small task in itself). I cleaned out the vacuum cleaner dirt container, replaced it, then vacuumed the entire floor (moving small furniture, and children's toys and furniture), then vacuumed along the baseboards of the walls to get all the crumbs and small pieces of garbage that are inevitably left there daily with four young children. After I turned it off and as I was wrapping the cord up, this is what Sarah said:

"Mom, thank you for cleaning the carpet."

Here is a picture of my nice clean family room and my sweet little girl. I'll enjoy it for the few minutes it lasts...


And yes... this is as clean as it gets. That's what happens when we have more things than we have space for...

61 Questions - Thanks Emily!

1. WHAT TIME DO YOU GET UP IN THE MORNING? Around 7 - Whenever the kiddies let me sleep until.
2. DIAMONDS OR PEARLS? I think diamonds. But I did wear a pearl necklace for my wedding.
3. WHAT WAS THE LAST FILM YOU SAW AT THE CINEMA? About half of Spiderman 3. Then we had to leave because of whiny babies. The last full one we saw was Night at the Museum, I think.
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW? Judge Judy. Totally kidding. I liked Arrested Development until it got cancelled. Now I'm glad the ABC and NBC shows are back.
5. WHAT DO YOU USUALLY HAVE FOR BREAKFAST? If I get a chance, I usually have what the kids are having. Mostly cereal.
6. WHAT IS YOUR MIDDLE NAME? Michelle
7. WHAT FOODS DO YOU DISLIKE? Pepperoncinis - gross! Peppers, onions, and shrimp. Most everything else is okay.
8. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CD? Anything not kids songs. But I don't have many. If I get a chance to listen to music, it's usually just the radio.
9. WHAT KIND OF CAR DO YOU DRIVE? 1998 Dodge Durango, or 2003 Honda Civic. But usually, I'm not driving at all. I'm either home or Jeff is driving.
10. FAVORITE SANDWICH ? I'm not really a sandwich person, but I do like a good egg salad on toasted wheat bread.
11. WHAT CHARACTERISTIC DO YOU DESPISE? Laziness, bullying and taking advantage of others. (ee a few posts before about our house situation.)
13. IF YOU COULD GO ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD ON VACATION, WHERE WOULD YOU GO? That's so tough to answer. I'd love to go to so many places. Maybe Germany?
15. FAVORITE BRAND OF CLOTHING? I couldn't say, seeing as I haven't bought new clothes besides maternity ones for about 5 years! It's on my list, though.
16. WHERE WOULD YOU RETIRE TO? Somewhere where family would be close.
17. WHAT WAS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE BIRTHDAY? Probably 16 or 18. My family threw suprise parties for me those years and for 18, they had no idea who to invite, so they asked me to give them a list. So everyone who I wanted there came.
18. FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH? I like most sports. I can't say I am totally into them all, but I do enjoy watching with Jeff. But not every single day or even weekend. I'd have to say my favorites would be gymnastics and football (I used to cheer for football)
22. FAVORITE SAYING? "Think before you speak." Seriously. That's really the solution to just about everything.
23. WHEN IS YOUR BIRTHDAY? June 13
24. ARE YOU A MORNING OR NIGHT PERSON? Niether. I'm a middle of the day person. That's when I have the most energy and get the most done.
25. WHAT IS YOUR SHOE SIZE? It used to be 8. But I swear, having kids made my feet grow! Now it's an 8 1/2 or 9.
26. PETS? One dog who's more like a child. I mean, he whines just as much. Not that I actually treat him like one!
27. ANY NEW AND EXCITING NEWS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US? Nope. We're pretty boring.
28. WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE LITTLE? I didn't have many aspirations when I was little. But I wanted to be a Criminal Psychologist when I starte college. I'd love to be a lawyer, but there's a whole lot of school involved, and I'm not in the position to do that right now...
29. HOW ARE YOU TODAY? A little sick, but mostly okay. Just a normal day otherwise.
30. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CANDY? I like everything
31. WHATS YOUR FAVORITE FLOWER? Daisy. I like the white and yellow, but I have recently developed an attraction to the Gerbera variety.
32. WHAT IS A DAY ON THE CALENDAR YOU ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO? Ummmm...I don't know. Maybe my birthday??
33. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Waffles. Yummmm... breakfast for dinner!
34. DO YOU WISH ON STARS? Only shooting ones. But I don't see them very often.
35. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Silver. I like to sparkle.
36. HOW IS THE WEATHER RIGHT NOW? Freezing. Not kidding. It was snowing earlier.
37. FAVORITE SOFT DRINK? I used to be a Dr. Pepper nut. I still am, but soda is too expensive lately. It's not worth it. I've had ginger ale in the house lately though for my sore throat. Plus it tastes gooooood.
38. FAVORITE RESTAURANT? Restaurant? I don't do restaurants anymore.
41. FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR? Christmas, probably. Then Halloween. Then Thanksgiving. It used to be my birthday. But as a mom, my birthday is pretty much just like any other day now.
42. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TOY AS A CHILD? My Little Pony. But we did't actually own any. I would go play with my friend Alison's.
43. SUMMER OR WINTER? Depends where I am. Phoenix: definitely winter. Washington: definitely summer. Utah: undecided
46. CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA? Dark Chocolate
48. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? I get tears in my eyes all the time. But the last time I really cried? ...Probably a few months ago. Don't remember why, though.
50. WHO IS THE FRIEND YOU HAVE HAD THE LONGEST? Wow... I don't have friends very long. For some reason I always end up moving away.
51. WHAT DID YOU DO LAST NIGHT? Put all the kids to bed early and hung out with my hubby. We played Guitar Hero III.
52. FAVORITE SMELL? Fresh air.
53 WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF? Spiders and scorpions. Oh, and snakes. And drowning. And I'm always afraid something is going to happen to my kids. I couldn't handle that.
54. SALTY OR SWEET? I like both. But we usually have neither kind of snack in the houe. Unless you count a spoonful or sugar or salt.
56. HOW MANY YEARS AT YOUR CURRENT JOB? 4 years the end of may! Yes. I DO have a job. I work more than any of you!! Mothers never get a to clock out.
57. FAVORITE DAY OF THE WEEK? Saturday. That's when Jeff gets to stay home with us and we do whatever we want together.
58. HOW MANY TOWNS HAVE YOU LIVED IN? How much time do you have? I stopped counting after 31. It's probably into the 40's now.
59. DO YOU MAKE FRIENDS EASILY? With the right people. I have a low tolerance for snobs. If you're nice and normal, we shouldn't have a problem.
60. WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAG? Anyone who wants to, but I'd like to see this one from Ashleys Trump and Tracy.
61. HOW MANY WILL RESPOND? Not sure. Probably 1 or 2.

What do you think?

I found myself noticing my thoughts yesterday while I was at the grocery store. I know I do this all the time, but I never actually thought about it until now. My silent thoughts sound a lot like what I write or actually say. They are sentences or full thoughts, not just random tidbits. I constantly think of the movie "What Women Want" with Mel Gibson because I wonder what it would be like to walk around hearing what other people will think but not say. Here's a few examples of my silent thoughts last night:

First, I went to Walmart to exchange something, and buy a few things while I was there. I walked by the strawberries and noticed that they were only $0.98/lb, so I bought some. Later, I stopped by Smith's to get some other things. I walked by the strawberries there as a woman was picking some out for herself. I thought to myself, "You're paying too much for that." But of course I didn't say anything. Just reveled in the good deal I had gotten a little earlier.

While at Walmart, I went to get some rice cereal for Audrey. I noticed that the price was $2.98/box. My thoughts went something like this, "$2.98!! What happened to $1.86??? It's RICE, for crying out loud! You've got to be kidding me!" (the exact same box of rice cereal was only $1.86 a month ago)

While at Smith's, I was walking by an aisle and out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a middle aged man looking at me. I didn't look back, but as I turned down the ice cream aisle, I noticed him poke his head out of the end of his aisle to watch me walking down the other one. A few seconds later, there he was, in the same aisle as me. I saw him in the reflection of the glass looking in my cart. I thought to myself, "What are you doing? Looking to see what I buy so you can tell if I have kids or something? Where's your family?" Of course, who really knows what he was doing. That's just what I thought to myself. He was obviously "checking me out" though. My next thought was this: "That's the last time I forget to wear my wedding ring to the grocery store."

At this Smith's, they often stock the middle of the doorway (between entrance and exit doors) with things that are considered specials. This time it was cereal. It really isn't the best place to put things for shopping. It clogs the doorways. Yet, they do it. I was waiting for an elderly lady on a riding cart to come in the doorway before I could go out and look at the cereal. She saw me standing there, and smiled as she was moving. I smiled back. Then, as she got right to the door, she stopped and spent 15 seconds reading a flyer that had been taped to the window. My thoughts at that point went something like this, "Hello? Yes... I AM waiting for you."

So, sometimes what I think probably isn't the nicest. Sometimes it's good. Like when I see a woman with a nice haircut, I'll often think to myself, "That's a really nice haircut. I wonder where she got it done..." I even noticed my realtor's new haircolor last time she was over here and thought, "Hey, that looks really nice." But with all the other stuff going on, I never got a chance to tell her.

Am I just weird? Or do any of you have silent thoughts like mine about things you see? My most common silent thought has to be "You've got to be kidding me." What is yours?

Appendix

I just had to share this about our house situation. The seller obviously is not planning on signing over the house. We already know that. Per the contract that he signed when accepting our offer to buy his house (which he chose to list), he is liable to us for a minimum of $1,000 (the equivalent to our earnest money deposit, which we will also get back). That payment is required "upon demand." If he refuses to pay that penalty, the contract states that we retain the right to "pursue other remedies available at law" (sue). That's all pretty standard in a residential real estate contract. The day after our scheduled closing, that section of the contract was referenced in a letter that was sent to the seller explaining the consequences for not signing the closing documents, and giving him the option to sign now and avoid further action. The seller was not interested in the least in even looking at the letter. He just handed the broker a letter prepared by an attorney he had hired stating that "At this juncture, Mr. ***** is simply desirous of having the listing cotract cancelled and would be satisfied with no further contact from your company." Well, duh! Anyone who was trying to get out of a legal contract with no recourse would be ecstatic with just that! I thought that was pretty funny. Now, with a little more detailed background conveyed, here's the funny part. I spoke with my realtor this morning and she relayed part of a conversation her broker had with the seller's attorney this morning. It went something like this:

Attorney (referring to the $1,000 penalty): "Good luck getting any money out of him."

Broker: "Just so I understand, you're saying that he is leaving our clients (us) no choice but to sue him as it states in the contract he signed on March 19?"

Attorney: "It does?"

HA!!! "It does?"!!! Is this guy serious??? How can he even feign representation for this poor guy if he hasn't even read the contract he so confidently assures him he doesn't have to fulfill??? Are you kidding? That part of the contract was even referenced in that first letter the day after the seller refused to close. He didn't even HAVE to read the whole contract! We practically HANDED the information he needed to him on a silver platter so he didn't even have to do any further research on the case if he didn't want to! I found that comment the funniest of all.

He then said something to the effect of, "I'll speak with my client and get back to you tomorrow."

Yeah. It's no wonder when we "googled" him, we found nothing but records of reprimands and suspended bar licenses. Had he read our initial letter, we could possibly have had this issue resolved already a week ago. But after everything that's happened in the last week and a half, it's not really suprising. Anyway. It made me laugh this morning, even though it's possibly the the most doltish, unprofessional behavior I have ever encountered from a legal professional. So I thought I'd share. Hope you all enjoyed the stupidity! I got some laughs anyway.

Definitive Randomness...

I've been feeling quite under the weather today, and I had a dull headache for most of it. Tonight I decided to take a hot bath to see if it helped my head. It didn't, but at least I'm relaxed now. So while I'm waiting for my hair to transfigure from dripping to just damp, I thought it befitting to update the blog with the week's occurrences. Where to start...

Our week began with repressed excitement. Monday was April 14. The day we were scheduled to close on our new home. We were excited at the prospect of finding a home that we would be happy with, however we were apprehensive about what might happen at closing. You see, the week or so before we were scheduled to close, we got wind that the seller was getting "antsy" and "nervous" about the impending contract resolution. We were getting the feeling that he may change his mind about selling the house at all. As it turns out, our thoughts and apprehensions were not unfounded. The seller did, indeed, refuse to sign the closing documents, and became very belligerent, threatening, and even denunciatory. He made false accusations toward his real estate agent and hired an attorney who erroneously advised him that he was not legally obligated to fulfill his contract. Nothing could be further from the truth. To make a long story short, the seller of our would-be house has bullied, threatened and intimidated his way out of being obligated to this sale. Legally he is bound by what the contract that he initially signed states, which is to turn over his house to us upon financing of a loan - which we easily acquired. However, hearing of his threatening and violent behavior, we are no longer comfortable pursuing his relinquishment of the property. We get the feeling that he might be the avenging type, and with a young family to think of, we would rather not take the risk of threat or harm by forcing him to do something he obviously and unmistakably has no desire to do willingly and happily. As sad as it seems to let unlawful and inapt behavior help this guy procure his ideal result, we have bigger and more important priorities than exacting ultimate penalization for illicit and lawless conduct. We are abandoning our right to the property and starting over in our house hunting efforts. Here is the home that nearly was...

http://s190.photobucket.com/albums/z137/ashleighfarnsworth/New%20House/
(sorry. I don't know how to make this a clickable link. If you know how, feel free to leave those instructions in a comment or email)

On a lighter note: As consolation to ourselves for not getting our house, we went out and bought Guitar Hero III for the Wii. It's a fabulous game. Loads of fun. Here's proof:



This photo of Jeff is courtesy of Sarah. She's become quite the little photographer lately. We have two guitars, so anyone up for a jam session, feel free to come visit!

Another splash of random: I have recently (a few minutes ago) come to the conclusion that ginger ale really does help relieve, at least temporarily, soreness of the throat. I had heard this before and wondered why not other types of soda. I had Dr. Pepper earlier today, and besides the few seconds of cooling and moistening, it really didn't make my throat feel any better. The ginger ale's effects lasted just a bit longer. Muy Interesante.

So. After all that, and illnesses to boot, we're excited and looking forward to beginning our search for that perfect house all over again. It's kind of like a second chance. I guess this one just wasn't to be. And we're all okay with that idea. My hair is just damp now, so I'm going to bed. Here's to more enriching and less stressful experiences in the upcoming months.

Happy Easter!

Yes. I do realize this post is 3 weeks+ overdue. I can't help it. No one was well enough to go to church on Easter Sunday, and we forgot to take pictures Easter morning (we got the video camera out instead). The next week was General Conference. Finally, 2 weeks after Easter, we got to go to church all dressed up in our Easter outfits. That would be a week ago. So I'm a little behind. Who doesn't get busy once in a while? Easter was fun, even though kids were sick. They still did an egg hunt, devoured their candy and played with a few small new toys. Happy very belated Easter everyone!

The COOLEST thing!!

Kids are extremely intuitive. They know when mom is happy, and reflect that in their own moods. They know if mom is irritated, and they whine and cry and fight just to see if we really are in a bad mood. However, they also know when we need a break. Today, my boys must have sensed that I needed a break. You see, they up and put themselves down for a nap! At least I like to see it that way. In reality, they probably went upstairs to play, and one of them shut the door while they were in their room. Since there is a cover on the doorknob, they probably gave up trying to get out and fell asleep. But still. How refreshing to check on my little monsters only to find two little sleeping angels. My day is going so much more smoothly now.

These pictures are from a previous naptime. Under NO circumstances was I going to interrupt their self-prompted naptime. Thanks Grandma Kathy for the snakes. They're a must at bedtime now.
Have any of your kids ever actually put themselves down for a nap?

Mothers

My cousin, Joy, emailed this to me this morning. It SOOO made my day. This is for all you mothers out there. Thanks Joy!


JUST A MOM?


A woman, renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk 's office,
was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupatio n.
She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.
'What I mean is, ' explained the recorder,
'do you have a job or are you just a ...?'
'Of course I have a job,' snapped the woman.
'I'm a Mom.'

'We don't list 'Mom' as an occupation,
'housewife' covers it,'
Said the recorder emphatically.

I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself
in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall.
The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised,
efficient, and possessed of a high sounding title like,
'Official Interrogator' or 'Town Registrar.'
'What is your occupation?' she probed.
What made me say it? I do not know.
The words simply popped out.
'I'm a Research Associate in the field of
Child Development and Human Relations.'
The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair and
looked up as thoug h she had not heard right.
I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words.
Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written,
in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.
'Might I ask,' said the clerk with new interest,
'just what you do in your field?'
Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice,
I heard myself reply,
'I have a continuing program of research,
(what mother doesn't)
In the laboratory and in the field,
(normally I would have said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters, (first the Lord and then the whole family)
and already have four credits (all daughters).
Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humani ties,
(any mother care to disagree?)
and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it).
But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers
and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money.'
There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she
completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door.
As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career,
I was greeted by my lab assistants -- ages 13, 7, and 3.
Upstairs I could hear our new exper imental model,
(a 6 month old baby) in the child development program,
testing out a new vocal pattern.
I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy!
And I had gone on the official records as someone more
distinguished and indispensable to mankind than 'just another Mom.'
Motherhood!
What a glorious career!
Especially when there's a title on the door.




Does this make grandmothers
'Senior Research associates in the field of Child Develop ment and Human Relations'
And great grandmothers
'Executive Senior Research Associates?'
I think so!!!



I also think it makes Aunts '
Associate Research Assistants.'



Please send this to another Mom,
Grandmoth er,
Aunt,
And other friends you know.
May your troubles be less,
Your blessing be more,
And nothing but happiness come through your door!

AMEN!!

Idol Gives Back

We were watching American Idol's "Idol Gives back" tonight. Jeff kept half-heartedly telling me to go to the website to donate throughout it. Earlier today, we helped Sarah count out a dollar from her piggy bank for a movie we had bought for her. She was still holding her little bank while we were watching Idol. After a while, she started insisting we take one of her dollars to give to the the African Aids Relief. She said, "Mama, can we give one of my dollars to the poor people who don't have anything? They don't have any ponies, or bicycles, or anything." When we told her that if she gave away another dollar, it was going to take longer for her to get a pony, she actually said that she will just wait and get a pony later. She was so adamant about it. So we did. We counted out another dollar, added it to a few of our own, and made a donation to the Idol Gives Back Foundation. I was so proud. It brought a tear to my eye and a lump to my throat. I love my little big girl.

Little Cutie

Audrey has been growing in leaps and bounds lately. She is ever so cute, and definitely sweet. Here are some pictures of her recent accomplishments:


She's a crawler now.



She's a proficient self-feeder now.



She's a cute little sitter.



And she's very diverse in the places she chooses sleep. Here are two examples:

Future Mechanics?

Jeff was checking some fluids in the Durango the other day. Alex and Lucas just could not understand why Papa was laying under the car. So they had to go check it out.

Grandma Kafy's House

Sarah got into trouble for something the other day and was sent to her room. She was extremely unhappy about her punishment, and could be heard crying through the baby monitor. She was explaining to herself that, "Mama made me so mad!" She said, "Now I won't love her forever anymore!" Then she cried a little more. Then she said, "I want to go live at Grandma Kafy's house!"

The "Secret" to Weight Loss

If you ask a doctor, "What's the secret to weight loss?" you'll probably receive a profound response equivalent to, "Eat less. Exercise more." Well, duh! Thank you Captain Obvious. Most people who ask that question of someone have already stumbled upon this colloquial statement somewhere in their quest for a smaller pair of jeans. Well, for those of us who are tired of hearing mostly useless words of "duh" from others who haven't a tangible extra pound anywhere to be seen, let me expound this ill-fitted announcement of the evident. Some of my statements may be just as familiar and commonplace, but the difference is that no one asked me. I'm just putting my top 10 assessment out there for kicks. You don't have to read it.

1. Eat less. Yeah, it works. But you have to know how to do it. Sometimes you don't have to change a single thing about your diet, you just have to curb your portions. Stop eating when you're satisfied. Not when you're stuffed to the brim. Put less on your plate to begin with. Get a smaller plate! Drink a glass of skim or fat free milk before you eat your meal.

2. Exercise more. Yeah, it works. But honestly, who has the time?? Not me! I do get some exercise by chasing kids around and constantly doing toe touches to pick up toys and clutter off the floor, but it's nothing cardio worthy. For those of you who actually get out of the house more than once a week, try taking the stairs instead of the elevator (works best when you can do this daily, but always is better than standing around on the elevator!) Of course, if you have a stroller, just the sheer force of pushing it gives your heart and calorie burners an extra boost. If exercising is not for you, then find foods that are easier to digest and pass through your system a little more quickly. Lower in fat and lower in calories.

3. Okay, now for the nitty gritty of food-based health. Don't go to the store hungry. Seriously folks. Don't do it. You're just asking for trouble. There is never a reason to go down the "salty snacks" aisle (except maybe a party). And water is always better for you (not to mention cheaper, healthier, less caloric, and more readily available than soft drinks, juice cocktails and other "on the go" beverages). If you're not hungry when you're food shopping, you'll be less likely to buy the potato chips, cookies and ice cream, and stick to what's actually on your list.

4. Speaking of "list," make a list before you go to the grocery store, and STICK TO IT! I find that if I have a list prepared, I'm constantly checking it and crossing things off, and I end up not having any time to stray to other aisles to "browse." If it's not on your list, and you don't genuinely need it, don't buy it.

5. Set a budget. Carry cash if you have to. That will limit the "extras" that you don't really have room in your budget for. If you don't have enough cash, the unnecessary items are always the ones to go first.

6. Don't buy "fat pants." I mean, come on. You're just asking for it when you allow yourself to have a bigger pair of pants for when you overindulge. When your pants start to fit too snugly, and there's not an option to just tuck those ones away in the drawer and get out your fat pants, the only real option is to change your body instead of changing your pants. Besides, if you don't change something about the way you eat, your "fat pants" will become your normal pants, and you'll start buying a bigger size "fat pants" and your "skinny pants" will become your "when I was younger" pants.

7. Stay away from fast food. It will help your waistline get smaller and your wallet get bigger. If it's fast and easy, it's probably not healthy anyway.

8. If you've already got that extra weight, and you've heard all this stuff before (which is a high probability - I'm not really saying anything new here) then what you need to work on first is motivation. I'm not talking about that fleeting thought that scampers across your mind when you do spring cleaning and pull out last year's "skinny pants." I'm talking about true ambition and drive to succeed. Find what works best for you. If the buddy system keeps you accountable and on track, find one. If keeping a personal record or journal of your progress works well, start one. If having a role model or an end goal image works for you, find a person who has done it before, or computer generate your own goal image and print it out. Put it in a place that you'll see it when you're having a craving. If hearing praise or criticism works best for you, tell your best friend what you're doing and have them be completely honest with you about your progress each time you see or talk to that person. If you've "tried everything" and haven't found what works, it's time for new ideas. Seek support from an online community or a weight loss center.

9. Reward yourself once in a while. No one can stick to a plan that they can't stand. If you're vice is chocolate, buy some fat free fudgecicles for when you're feeling weak. But make sure you keep track of the calories they add and try to balance it out somewhere else. If it's burgers, try a garden burger or grill your own instead of getting McDonald's. The best reward is the shopping trip you'll need to take when you get down to your goal weight. So start saving for it now.

10. If you've lost the weight already, and are maintaining it well, SHARE YOUR "SECRET." It's not fair for you to keep quiet when a growing percentage of Americans are struggling with this issue.

If you've read all this, you're a true friend to me. I tend to ramble. If anyone has the secret to getting rid of the wrinkly, stretched out, post-pregnancy belly, PLEASE pass along that theory. I'd love to test it for you.