So...DH comes home tonight...'sabout time. I did pretty well until Friday and yesterday. Today was back on track. I might have been missing him. I did get tons of house stuff done..wonders will never cease. The stockings are hung and everything!

I even got a really good bike ride in today. I have been taking a break from weight training - I have an annoying sore spot in my left arm and shoulder. Let's see if a week off fixes it. Hopefully it isn't from biking...

I got a new phone a few weeks back. It has an MP3 player in it...so fun to load it up! It's bigger than my old player

Happy your hubby gets back today. I think I lost track that he was gone. You guys have a great holiday.

I hosted the art faculty at my house yesterday for lunch. It went off beautifully. My house looked great, as long as you didn't open any closed doors. I grilled another turkey. Grilled/smoked turkey is my thing now - I have it down. I am having a party Sat. for friends - it's my year for entertaining.

AND - wonder of wonders. I have help coming in Tuesday and Wednesday! I am so excited. I have been drowning in stuff, not only mine but trying to go through my mother's stuff with DD as well. I need an objective point of view on how to organize my house and helps a comin'!

So, have a good day ya'll and eat a salad today. I am going to try to eat one everyday this week for lunch.

ledom - So cool you are finally able to enjoy your house again!! Help is good - send 'em over here when they are done.

My sister and her family are in town from Portland - should be fun to hang out with the nephews. Today is a planned rest day. I taught an X bike class last night - only 3 more out of ten before I can get certified. Prolly won't happen until January with all the holidays coming most of the normally scheduled classes are cancelled. I figure I'll prolly just sub for other people sometimes- but how fun is it to be able to say I teach spin? I haven't killed anyone yet, either.

hey - yes, my house is sparkling and I am love with it again. +, I am now on this ladies cleaning rotation, she is coming half a day every 2 weeks. It's my christmas gift to myself. Why did I wait so long?!?

On the diet front, just ugh. I am having the hardest time finding my want to - and at the same time just hating what I am doing to myself. I have been here before and dug myself out, but sheesh......not happy about it right now.

Today is a new day, maybe I'll get a grip. It is a huge cooking day for my party tomorrow night so, I'll try. I am desperate for just a little spark of desire and self control to build on.

Just to let you know....because you might not have heard my primal scream where you are.

My oven died last night! My daughter's bf's family are coming to my house for lunch tomorrow. My identity as a chef is being overcome as my identity of as the queen of home disaster.

Okay, I know I am being melodramatic here. But, really - stove goes out the day before Christmas?

On the upbeat side a repairman said he'd work me in today. Bless his heart, I can't feel sorry for myself when many are working today. Thank goodness. I do have a back up plan, that might just land me in the funny farm, but let's hope it doesn't come to that.

Next year? Christmas anywhere but at home sounds good.

:snowfigh t:wreath :

LOL I just had to use the smilies before Xmas is over.

ledom - WTF? So I take it the stove wasn't part of the new stuff in the house? I hope it gets fixed pronto! I'm doing leg of lamb for the parental units tomorrow...should be mellow.

The sun is shining at the moment - I think I'll get a bike ride in.

:


LOL I just had to use the smilies before Xmas is over.

ledom - WTF? So I take it the stove wasn't part of the new stuff in the house? I hope it gets fixed pronto! I'm doing leg of lamb for the parental units tomorrow...should be mellow.

The sun is shining at the moment - I think I'll get a bike ride in.

DOH double post...thought I was editing...

Update: Nope, I kept my stove because I loved it and I couldn't afford a new one. BUT, looks like I might have to buy a new one anyway. Can't be fixed quickly, have to order and expensive part, we'll see.

So, plan b it is. It's okay, DD lives 2 miles away. They're out of town tonight, I'll go over and hang with their cat and bake my christmas cake. She made baked ziti and we'll cook it there along with the bread and baked olives and we'll transport it. I will not end up in the nut house over it.

Some me time is in order in the VERY NEAR future though.

Happy Christmas Eve's Gift everyone. So glad you ladies are here to share it all with.

Despite all the trials and tribulations I am very thankful for my life and my family and I am so happy I will be with them tomorrow. I am glad that there will be new people at my dinner table and that my family is growing to include a very sweet young man and his family.

Did ya'll have a good Christmas?

Ours was nice. I was able to hustle all the sugary buttery out of my house on Christmas day so that was a plus.

Enjoyed my family and am finally getting to catch by breath and enjoy the rest of my break.

New stove ordered yesterday.

Would love to hear from you guys.

Besides a run in with a bowl of whipped cream Xmas was fairly uneventful.

I'm still waiting for my left upper arm to stop annoying me- it's weird, it's sore when I pick up stuff..even like a carton of milk. Not heavy duty pain, just sore. I haven't worked out upper body for like a week now... Not the most patient of chicks.

ledom - hope your new stove shows up soon.

Happy Friday chickies!!

Chick, sorry to hear about your arm. That sounds like an odd sort of pain you are experiencing. Hope it feels better soon - doesn't interfere with the spinning does it?

My kayaking buddy is coming down for a few days tomorrow. It's barely warm enough, but you know in years past that didn't bother me. The extra pounds I have put on the last 6 months makes that difference I know. It just ages you. I am hate that - hopefully enough to do something about it. Anyway, I am going and looking forward to it with just a little dread that there will be some discomfort involved however the joy of being outside generally very quickly overcomes the worries I have while I am at home just thinking about it. We'll do some hiking too.

Once you get out there you'll be glad you did. At least that's how it works for me. Just take your time at the beginning and warm up slow. Enjoy!

The arm thing has been an annoyance - but looking at previous posts it has been longer than I thought. Like 2 weeks. But I didn't really stop trying to work it until last week. Hopefully resting it fixes it. Worst case scenario I'll go and get it checked out. I am still spinning - I just don't move the handle bars now. It seems to be gripping that causes the problem.

Hi girls - back from Michigan late yesterday - I'm afraid that I didn't do as well as it sounds like you all did with the holiday food - I pretty much gave into it, as well as goodies at the movies we saw.

I'm still off until the 2nd, so will be working on ridding the house of anything off plan, and getting ready to clean up my food act. I know it will be tough at first, so I've got plenty of 50% off very dark chocolate to allow me to "treat" myself when I feel the need. Target had it all - just because of holiday packaging it's 50% off - can't beat that!

Hey, do any of you gals cook in stainless cookware, meaning *not* non-stick? My mom got me a nice set of copper cookware, with stainless lining, and I've never tried to cook with such a thing, so I'm a little nervous to try it. I've got visions of everything sticking and burning.

Are you gals doing anything fun for New Year's? We will probably just stay in - none of our friends do much of anything, so we just stay home as well.

Gina - hope your arm feels better soon - I just hate pains that have no reason!

Ledom - how exciting that you'll be getting a new stove. Gas or electric?

You gals have a good one!
Cindy

Happy New Year's ladies! Hope this new year is all you want it to be!
Cindy