Day 18: Well, I took my 11 year old daughter, Meleah, out for a date yesterday, and caved a little with some frozen yogurt. (Sorry Bethie, hope that doesn't make you cave, too!). I ate probably 2 or 3 tablespoons, exactly 6 half-spoon fulls of these small spoons off of her dish, hey it was 1/2 off!! I wish I wouldn't have. And in the end it may have been a good thing, because it was NOT worth it, it did nothing for me, and I am back on board full-steam ahead. Not posting real regularly these days, but am still happy with this choice to kick sugar out of my life. I am feeling really good. It has definitely helped with the afternoon slump, I just wish it would give me more energy at night, but by about 8:30, I am still one grumpy Mom. A friend of mine cut out sugar AND coffee. I had just been thinking maybe it was time to cut out the coffee, but just don't know how I'd get through the morning, probably a sure sign I need to do it. So if you see a 2 week No Coffee Challenge up, you'll know where it came from. But give me a year or two to mull it over.

Day 15: The temptation was a little harder yesterday as Lydia and her friend made some great looking choco-chip cookies, and I was so so hungwy. Aunt Dawnie Pooh sent a box with a tupperware container FULL of chocolates!! But she also sent me a new PJ top, short sleeved for these hot flashy menopausal nights, and when I slipped into it, it was all worth it! My tummy bulge is way less, and if I had tried it on 15 days ago, I'm sure I would have put it in the give-away pile. So fun to have new lounge pants and PJ top! Weight slinked just below 140. Roughly 9 pounds to go!

How did I withstand the temptation, well, it was the Lord again giving strength when I had none, and providing me with a delicious papaya, LAAARGE, which Sophia and I ate yesterday...the whole thing! Also, having a partner helps. I'm so glad to be doing this my little sister Bethie, because that's what kept me motivated yesterday...I CAN'T let her down!

Day 13: I don't know what happened to Days 11 and 12. I really don't. Life is busy, isn't it? Anyways, the night before last I dreamed something...all very vague now...but something like I was making cookies with the kids, and I first took a little finger- dip-ful of dough, then another, then scoops of it, then polished off like a dozen cookies. I woke up feeling like "Rats, I REALLY blew it big!". I cannot tell you the joy I felt when I realized it was just a dream!

Today went fine...I had to go get copies made for Sunday School, and have some books spiral bound for a fellow teacher. As I waited and waited...and waited and waited because a) customer service is not what it is in the states, the lady seemed to be twin to a turtle, and b) they all kinds of printer problems, she cleared the same jam like hundreds of times, the candy they sell looked more and more tempting. The hour was getting later and later and I was getting more and more hungry. Good thing I had Meleah with me, who is also doing the no sugar challenge, or I might have caved under the excuse of buying a snackie-poo for whatever child I had with me. Instead we went to the dollar store, and I got her a pair of binoculars, and took her out to look at the stars. Of course, it had to be a super cloudy night, so at best we got a clouded view of the moon. But hey, the cheesy moon IS sugar free! Side note, I'm very proud of Meleah, because when I told her that her Aunt Bethie was just starting the 2 week no sugar challenge, and that I was going to go it with Bethie, adding on 10 more days, she said she wasn't going to stop either.

Sounds ridiculous, but I am dreading when they try to pass me the sugary drink after teaching Sunday School tomorrow. So far that has been the hardest thing to pass up. I do bring a bottle of water, but by that time I'm always parched from trying to maintain control of 17 zero-eight year olds and am usually rather hungry because my snack alarm starts to go off.

The good news today is I noticed a definite improvement in my desire to snack between breakfast and lunch. I didn't have (or want) a mid-morning snack today! And I've lost like 4 pounds. Still have about 11 to go, so not great, but I'll take it. I'm back to my pre-United States trip weight! Buy-buy BurgerKing Blubber!

Days 9 and 10: Yesterday was our anniversary...14 years of marriage! I can only say I'm doing this with God's help...it is NOT my strong will power, I am so weak when it comes to succumbing to sugar! I associate dates with David with ... ice cream! There is a yummy ice cream store...American quality...in the mall that is walking distance. We went to the mall and got something to eat, but I didn't glance at the ice cream store. It was a bit hard as I think 90% of the people who go to the mall go to get ice cream, so it seems like you're always seeing something yummy go by in the hands of someone.

As a snack, we got some arepas, and we asked first if they had sugar in them. The guy said they don't add sugar, but that they use sweet corn meal. Well, we ate them, and so I'm not sure if I cheated or not.

Today has been easy.

The only strange thing is that I have felt slightly nauseous ever since about 2 days into this. Not terrible, just a slight nausea, and not all the time. I stopped taking my iron supplement, thinking maybe that was doing it, and I don't think it has really helped. Not even sure it's related. Maybe it's a virus or I have some nice parasites or something, who know.

Day 8: So far this is SO much easier than I ever dreamed. The neatest thing is I don't feel hungry all the time like I did when I was eating sugar. It makes sense now, since sugar turns off our "I'm full" switch.

My biggest disappointment is I thought maybe I'd lose lots of weight easily and quickly. I think I've dropped maybe 2 or 3 pounds, but that could be just normal fluctuation. Of course, I'm not really trying to diet, just survive for right now without sugar. But I do feel like I'm eating less just because my appetite is less than it was.

I do not slump hardly at all in the afternoons like I used to. Even when I don't get a great night's sleep, I still don't slump much in the afternoons. It's wonderful!

Day 7: The craving is back, full force. I associate Sunday School, which always leaves me very thirsty, with a nice sugary drink because teachers are served right along with the kids the snack. I was feeling PARCHED and particularly provoked to partake of the pop. And Gansitos...as my sister described a similar item from Colombia...chalk cake with a delightful waxy chocolate covering. Only these also have a gratifying gelatinous jelly filling. But I withstood. Got home and made low-sugar gluten-free brownies for us and the sugar full/flour full version for David to take to a meeting. I then also had to withstand all the temptations that go along with brownies...not a little luscious lick of the pot? Not a criminy crumb to see if they were as good as the kids said they were? Not a morsel of a crumb left on a napkin? Just a particle from the edge of the pan? NO. Withstood. But it's only 4:15 :-). Thanking the Lord for every minute of victory, I am WEAK but He is strong.

Day 6: A little harder today, but I made it. Cookies in the oven, the smell of them!!! Sigh.