Well, well, well look who's back.  Just when it was so peaceful without Melissa, she plows through the 1000 step challenge and returns with a week of immunity, no less!  There is no question she is a force to be reckoned with and her return to the show makes everyone work a little harder.  We also saw Victoria return, as the remaining contestants got to vote one person back on, also with immunity this week.  Michael showed a very sensitive and sincere side as he spoke about why Victoria should return to the ranch.  It reminded me of what I liked about him the first week.   Melissa came back as red, and Victoria, blue as we saw the competition lose blue vs. black and return to individuals in their original colors.

The weigh ins were rather low and uneventful this week.  Weird how some weeks everyone pulls big numbers, yet this week there was not a single double-digit weigh in...things that make me go hmmmmmmmmmm?!?  In the end,  Sam (gulp, say it isn't so!) and Stephanie were the two to fall below the yellow line.  I know yesterday was a day to practice flexibility, but seeing Sam go home would have asked me for too much flexibility.  Though I wasn't happy to see her go, thankfully Stephanie was voted off instead of "my boy."  His great integrity will serve him well because the chances of him pullling big numbers with the shape his is already in, are slim.  He looks fantastic and at least we get to see him for one more week.

On a different note, we had a fabulous time at Passover Seder last night, surrounded by some of the nicest, kindest more caring people in the world.  Thanks to the host and hostess with the most-est for including us in their intimate table of 37!   My vegan dinner consisted of a beautiful salad topped with raisins, just the way I love it, followed by a plate of grilled eggplant, portabella mushroom, red pepper, sliced potatoes, asparagus and tofu.  It was PERFECT as was the wine...

Kyle found an apartment and is ready to start his new life in Tampa.  Wow.  His ability to have a goal and plow through till he achieves it is so impressive. From college, to P90X, to running races, seeing the country, getting THE girl and now relocating WITH a job.  If you happen to be reading this, Kyle, I admire your follow-through!

So Monday we worked on less judgement and criticism, yesterday increasing our flexibility and today, Wednesday, goes like this:

Practice gratitude, feelings of self-pity and despair wash away.

This one requires NO work on my part.  I try to actually make time to practice gratitude most every day, usually at the end of a class...or two.  I learned first-hand, years ago, the magical powers of practicing gratitude.  The more one does it, the more grateful they become.  It's so simple and so powerful.  Whether it's writing in a gratitude journal, or finding one or two things to be grateful for, or, as I like to do, rattling off a mental laundry list of the MANY things I am grateful for, this practice has changed my brain, my heart and my attitude.  I hope you will take time to practice some gratitude today and every day.