I have been taking this holiday to reflect on how far I have come over the past year... I was trying to think of something that I am going to do that I haven't done because my weight always held me back.

January 12th I am starting back to college to finish my BSN online!!! I have put this off for so long, and now with some new found confidence, I am going to take a deep breath and jump in!!!!

I am looking forward to when the amusement park opens up this spring... I will fit into a seat on a roller coaster and I am going to have some fun!!!!!

Anyone else have new things on their list for the New Year????

I'm going to buy some size 4 jeans I'm in a 6 now and I'm going to make it to a 4 by feb..

I went to Dollywood back in November and was able to fit in a roller coaster and all the other rides. It was a wonderful feeling.

A friend of mine is trying to talk me into going skiing. I am thinking about it. I would have never even thought about it last year at 304 pounds.

I am much more confident about myself now and am more willing to try new things or do things that I have not done in years. I am not a thrill seeker, so I will not be jumping out of an airplane or anything like that. Yikes!!!

I am going to ride a Century ride (100miles) on my bike.... I was a cyclist before the band, but my longest ride to date is 60 miles... I'm great on the flats but the weight made the hills hell. I am looking forward to nailing those hills! I'm also going to go on a big scuba diving trip; I used to dive a lot, but have limited myself in recent years, largely because of weight/appearance (a wet suit?). I'll fit my old wet suit in another 20lbs.

Well, short term first: I'm going to get the first Reward Tattoo I've promised myself. I just discovered that if I want the tattoo artist I've chosen, I'll have to deal with her four month waiting list, but I can deal with that.

Since I backslid, I won't be able to go snowboarding in February as I'd hoped, but I think I'll be good for roller coasters come spring...

I hope so at least!

Tess -- that is a wonderful goal for 2009 to get your BSN! You go girl!

Fenton - hang in there, or hang ten?? You will be snowboarding in those French Alps before you know it!

For me.... this is something little but I want to be able to go into any restaurant and fit comfortably in a booth -- I can at most places now but I recently had one of those uh-oh moments when I was so uncomfortable when they put us in a booth where the table didn't adjust at all that we had to be moved to a table. I hate embarrassment like that!!

Also, Ohio does have the king of roller coaster amusement parks -- Cedar Point is on Lake Erie at Sandusky, OH and I'd love to be able to fit into roller coasters again. The last time I went in 2001, I ended up being the babysitter for my nephew who wouldn't go on most rides because I couldn't fit in many of them. Never again! I hope to be riding roller coasters into my 90's!

to make up for the lost years.