Good morning! Up until 1:30 last night and got a lot done, but not a lot that you can see. Now enjoying some quiet time before anyone else gets up with christmas carols and a lit tree and no other noise. Had a good time last night trying to pick some songs for the wedding reception - it's just a very, very small gathering and no garter throwing/bouquet throwing, anything like that. Just family for a nice dinner. So not dance music, but nice background music. We had a lot of laughs picking some songs. Felt good. Today is hitting the market for food! For us for this week and for the gathering tomorrow. Don't have to get a lot for that - just bread, pasta (the necessities of life to an italian gal)... Will get out for a good walk with the dog - maybe after breakfast if everyone is still asleep. If not, then we can all bundle up Keep enjoying too much food each day - not even SPECIAL things!
Annie - are you getting the mouse situation resolved this weekend? Will you get a chance to relax a bit this weekend with your fiance? Sorry that there is still a little tension in the air - that seems to take a while to dissolve when it's me.
T - ack! We're celebrating tomorrow with his family and then the focus moves to mine in two weeks. Not doing bad on that - just STUCK with ideas for my mom. Anyone else coming up with good mom ideas? She always likes books, so i'll go with some there, but need other ideas...
Stay warm, everyone! Ange - is it warm there now or not? I need a tutorial! ha!
HI, I am trying to be a little more diligent at posting, Had a terrible last three days but seem to be back on plan today.. Seems to be the story of my life and then I just give up on everthing. I would like to stay current here but find it hard sometimes. Seems everyone is in the throws of Christmas planning etc. I was gong to bake some stuff today but was out of one ingredient and dont feel like going to the store to get it. I am in need of a down day perhaps a pj day. Two of the grandkids sleeping over tonight and they are a lot of work so want to be able to enjoy that. Trying hard to stay on plan today, weekends can be tough. My hubby likes ice cream alot. So d I I was hoping to have an icecream free house for a while.
For your Mom's gift does she like to cook? I took a trip to TJ Maxx today and saw lots of great gift ideas....some kitchen stuff....more on what I bought myself later. Maybe you could make her a gift basket w/ kitchen/home things in it? Some pretty towels, gadgets, oil bottles...?
Ashley-I hope you had a nice relaxing day in your PJs!
Yep, the TJ Maxx trip...wow. I went looking for one thing and ended up spending $150. Bought myself some kitchen things, a new pair of fleece PJs, some underwear. Also got some stocking stuffers and some pretty storage boxes for my kitchen and bath.
Got some mouse poison to put under the house. I am going to have to get my handyman to come make some more secure covers for the crawlspace vents. They sell some covers in one size but mine are all different sizes. Until then I put poison under there today and covered them well enough that the neighbor's cats can't get to them.
We are having high winds here today and my lighted snowman blew over. Got some stakes to hold him down and pounded those in.
Tonight I am going to watch one of two of my fav Christmas movies (both on at the same time so I must choose)....I really need to get a DVR. Going to make some white chocolate covered cranberries and maybe some whole wheat honey pear bread for gifts. Might even wrap some presents, too.
It could only be a better day if fiance was here. He is still sick and just felt like laying in bed all day. I cannot get sick (besides fiance, older son had strep this week and I was exposed to that) so I stayed home, even though I wanted to go out and take care of him.
Went and had some potato bacon soup and a salad where my son works for an afternoon meal. Even got to visit with him a bit while I ate. It was nice. Will try to do a sensible meal later in the evening.
Tomorrow will be the big test for me. I plan to bake my famous chocolate chip cookies and maybe some fudge and those are things I love.
Such a crazy day ... fiance's folks called early this morning - left messages - wanted to change our get togehter from tomorrow to today. WHAT? The weather is supposed to be crummy tomorrow and they basically said we're not coming tomorrow and neither are the others (they'd called his brother and hiked him up too, I guess)... so with a messy/cluttered house with baking stuff all around, gift wrap all around and marketing needing to be done for the dinner we ended up saying okay. I was peeved, to say the least. It all ended up working out okay, but it was a stressful hour because he and i were pecking at each other a bit right afterward. We still have to go out in it tomorrow to take his daughter back, so ... we'll see how bad it is. Didn't do well eating on plan - WAY too much junk. Hopefully will get back on track tomorrow. Made the lasagna and it came out very good, so that was good. Froze two meat loaf pans of it for dinner before we leave for holiday and for when we get back - quick meals all made.
Other family incidents were very stressful this morning - lost my temper and blood pressure was boiling - does every time I think of it. We'll see how this resolves. Won't be anytime soon.
Off to check out these songs, Annie! Thanks! Better note in the morning, just rambling here.
Hello everyone! A really cold Sunday here today. Lucky we don't have the snow that lots of the country has. I really don't mind snow during the holiday season, but don't want any after. Just don't want ice!
Getting ready to go to the grocery store and then I'm going to get busy. Going to make a pot of beef stew to have for supper one night this week. Had hoped fiance would be here to have some. Then pear bread, choc. chip cookies and maybe fudge. Need to prep my food for work for the week, too. I'll need to get some laundry done, too.
Last night I watched a good holiday movie and made white chocolate covered cranberries....they are so good! Wrapped some more gifts, too. Then watched SNL and Paul McCartney was the musical guest. It was good. A nice evening to myself though I would have preferred to have some family here. Older son kind of hurt my feelings a bit last night. He came by to get a shirt to wear on a date. He walked in and, in so many words, told me he was nauseated by all the Christmas decor, etc. He's never been a Scrooge and he said it kind of laughingly, but it hurt me a little. Oh well, he's turning into a "man" I suppose. I had a candle burning and he said it even smelled like Christmas...LOL.
NP-Good thing you were semi-ready for the dinner yesterday. I guess I understand their worry about traveling in harsh weather, though. LOL, I would have flipped out! Hope you can have some time to relax today. Sorry to hear about the family stresses, too. Besides my sons and fiance, I don't have any family here and feel a bit like an outsider with fiance's family (they drew names at Thanksgiving for Christmas and didn't include us...that was really weird), so I miss mine....Mom and Dad are both gone, and brother is in KY.
Hope you all have a great day!
Last edited by AnnieDrews; 12-12-2010 at 01:08 PM.
Good morning - i am working from home today - we're not supposed to on a regular basis but after taking fiance's daughter home yesterday it was such a mess coming back (so yes, good thing the dinner wasn't last night but I wanted to put it back to this coming sunday night instead of move it up a night... not an option...they were coming THEN or dropping off our gifts one day - what the heck??)
We went to take a walk on the trail and I slid on ice just as we were getting started and went down HARD on my back - hit skull on the pavement and bounced and hit hip hard WOW. I hate winter. It seems nothing like I used to see with the candles in the window, snow softly falling, fire roaring, etc. Well, I see that, but I see the falling in ice, cars sliding off the roads, accidents left and right, etc. I HATE that. Anyway, head hurt yesterday and neck and hip are very sore today. Muscle sore. So hopefully it'll work itself out with ibuprofen and time.
Wind is howling here this morning - have a fire in the fireplace and christmas carols on the cd player ... peaceful and cold. Snow is drifted high on the front of our house, yet we didn't get a LOT - 4-5" yesterday. I'm with you, Annie, NO ICE. I don't mind the snow but i HATE the ice after sliding off the road. I get very stressed with that.
Had three $10 off coupons for JCPenneys and used those this weekend on a few gifts and shirts for fiance. Good deal. Last year we forgot about them instead of making the effort to get there. I could go broke saving money, my dad would say.
Last edited by nationalparker; 12-13-2010 at 09:38 AM.
Reason: length.
"I could go broke saving money, my dad would say."
LOL, so true!!
NP-Sorry you fell on the ice. I hate ice!! Hope you feel better soon. Sounds like a lovely morning in your neck of the woods. I am back at work this morning and still a bit sensitive about the situation I had last week. I'm going to let it go and be nothing but professional. I'm not here to make friends.
Hoping both boys feel better when they get home this evening. Younger was suffering from a bad cold over the weekend. I hope it is on the downhill slide for him. If everyone is fit enough to go, we will eat out this evening. If not, I'll heat up the beef stew I made yesterday. Always good to have a Plan "B", just in case.
I got back to exercising this morning. Felt good to get 3 miles in.
Hi,
Annie, good luck with your backing, I am doing some of that later int eh week, dont let your son's comments rattle you, inside he will love and and always remember it, boys are strange, mine is 23 so I feel permission to say that
NP sorry you fell on the ice, I;ve done that too and it hurts beyond anthing.
I stayed on track yesterday, yay for my mini goal. I can't seem to make big goals to today is my next goal. Stay on track for today.
Thursday I have a lunch at work and Friday I have a dinner at my moms. My moms is always so hard tostay on track, if I don't eat goodies she makes a big deal out of it and it hurts me but she doesnt realize she does and I don't want to upset her by saying anything as she is the most giving loving person I know. Friday is along way away so I will jsut deal with today for now. Just ate my yogurt and bran buds and planning to work out at lunch.
Went grocery shopping last night, sometimes it is so tempting in the store to buy stuff for the family or to share, I did not buy anything junkie last night yay.... hubby bought vanilla icecream (gross) if you are going to have ice cream i would not certainly waste my calories on vanilla.
On an ending note who ever invented pie crust, its lard and flour what two more discusting things could someone come up with to make a dessert.... sorry to all of you who like pie. My hubby likes pie so I love when he buys pie and vanilla ice cream, I would rather eat brocolii!
Ashley-Thanks for the kind words re: my son's big mouth! I agree with the pie thing. Although I am able to eat pie, I can also pass on it w/o a thought. Can do the same with ice cream, usually. It's the cookies, cakes and candy I have trouble with. I ate two of my choc. chip cookies last night. I cannot resist them. Good idea to take it a day at a time!!
Although we went to Souper Salad for supper last night, I did not stick with healthy options. I did eat some salad but added some things that were not the best choices (alfredo salad...with corn???, chicken/cheese/brocolli soup).
Felt a sore throat coming on this morning so I asked one of my docs for an antibiotic and he complied. Older son had strep last week and I do not want to get sick! Younger son is battling a terrible cold. He has only missed 2 days of school so far this year, has all "B"s and qualifies to go to the Reward Outings on Thurs. and Fri. of this week. I can tell he feels terrible but he really wants to not miss school so he can go on the outing. If he has one more day he will not qualify to go. I told him to go to the office if he gets to feeling really badly and they could call me. Gave him some Dayquil and have been praying he feels better. Good hot stew for supper should help him feel better, too.
Got alot to do holiday-wise this evening. Hope I can get it all done! Have a good day everyone!
Last edited by AnnieDrews; 12-14-2010 at 12:06 PM.
Good afternoon! Ashley - good to hear that you're meeting your daily goals - great! I had to laugh at your dismissal of vanilla ice cream - ha! I am one who prefers vanilla to most flavors. But I can have a spoon of it and it's enough - don't need a bowl or cone. Just the flavor. I never could see how someone could eat a lot of ice cream because I never tasted it after the first few spoons - then my tongue is frozen.
Annie - hope you're able to stave off that throat infection! Don't get behind on sleep. Is your fiance feeling better? What do you do for Christmas? Your place or his? Did you get a call yet from your son's school? HOpefully he can make it - and at least feel much better for their rewards outing - not be miserable on that.
We're leaving for home (well, my home) in a week and a half. That really hit me today - I still have favors to make, table decorations for the wedding to do, gifts to buy, LOTS of stocking stuffers to get, and misc. things to find. Fiance works nights and will devote one night to finishing up the favors/decor stuff, one to finishing a homemade gift, and the other two to errands, I suppose. I'm really finding it hard to get him stocking stuffers - any ideas? I need to do two for him - one for us to do together when we exchange them and one for at my folks so he's not the only one without one
Had a large lunch with jalapeno kettle chips. 200 calories for those alone. And a large sandwich - chicken/cheese. At least I won't be snacking before dinner. But I should feel STUFFED and I don't. Worrying me.
Came into work today, but still feeling not-so-great. Got up to exercise and got right back in bed and slept that extra hour. I don't think I have a fever, but I am very weak and shaky feeling...almost a little foggy-headed (that is probably from skipping exercise, it seems to wake me up and get me going each morning). I don't feel bad about not exercising, just hope I feel better soon.
I'll check back later in the day.
Hope everyone has a happy and healthy day....10 more days until Christmas!
Good morning all! Sunny here today, so that helps to make it a cheery morning. We're to get more snow tonight and tomorrow, but only a few inches. Enough to make it a mess.
Last night's dinner was a favorite of mine. I cut up four beautiful red/yellow/orange peppers into chunks and cooked them in the microwave and in the meantime, cooked up a few hot italian turkey sausage links - crumbled up, added cooked spanish rice, corn, and onions. Had with the peppers. Usually I put in sauteed/cooked matchstick carrots but forgot them this time. Was in a hurry. Fiance has the leftovers for his dinner tonight at work.
Running errands after work for wedding favor/decor stuff. I have a list - am wavering on the whole candle thingy - it will be at sunset and I think it'll be pretty with the candles - but is it just extra work and stuff for people to do? Not sure on that. Will work on the projects when I get home tonight after running around. I am looking forward to the weekend to get a TON done, hopefully. Need underwear that will go well with my dress! I forgot about that, so will tackle that, too. Maybe tonight I'll find something at Kohl's. Hm.
Annie - Hope you're feeling better SOON but it sounds as if it's closing in on you... maybe a day of rest and recuperation and tons of sleep could do you good. Is it a busy time of year for you at work?
Ashley - how did you wrap up your day yesterday - a good one? I wasted calories on a peppermint ice cream cone. At home, so at least controlled the portion size. To a degree...
Ange - Are you back on the road again? I thought you were home for a quick visit and then off for another one. How's everything coming with your home? How long has the process been?
Anyone else checking in here? Hope you're off to a great day! ACK, Annie! 10 days! YIKES!
Hi, we are in blizzard country today, It is gross out and blowing cold snow and foggy, so now outside walk today at lunch but I can still walk indoors an awefully far way and lots of stairs.
I stayed on plan yesterday yay, and feel so good this morning, I am have been eating more when I am on plan which is good so I dont' get to starving then binge, which is what I often do and need to change that. This is the day I often blow it so am working very hard a not blowing it. In the past I have been to weight watchers and hearing the leaders talk about eating every 4 hours or so was inspiring cause it wards off the binge knowing I can have a snack or small meal.
Annie - hope you are feeling better the flu is yucky, and that is funny about the ice cream. When i stay on plan I do measure out a small serving a few mouthfuls and enjoy it but lately it is just to tempting so I leave well enough alone. Back in the summer I bought a new low fat breyers flavor, mocha fudge, well needless to say i can never buy it again.
NP - I love when you put what you cook I get ideas and controlling portions is so key. I know I can have what I generally want to have (sans ice cream) if I maKe a small portion and then I am satisfied from that , but sometimes it is real hard to do. The candle would be pretty at your wedding but hard descision if more work. I got married easter sunday and asked my church if we could use the lilies for in our pictures and they said yes, (Low cost low key wedding) but beautiful still. so we got married after the sunday service and when we came back after service for the ceremony all the flowers were gone. Someone did not communicate the flower thing and they gave them all away at the end of service. I was so dissapointed and my pics have no flowers but happy I found the hubby i have and the marriege is more important than the wedding day anyways.
have a great day everyone!
Making iced sugar cookie this sat, done them since my kids were little and my mom done them when I was little, the only thing I will bake this season, due to jsut don't need the baking and some of them are triggers. My daughter even asked if she could help didn't realize it was such a big memory for her. Decorating them was and is very fun.
Ashley - You're BRAVE making iced sugar cookies - those are my complete downfall at Christmas, so I decided to skip them this year. I know my sister is making some to have at my folks, but there I can better limit what I eat I have made them every year, as it's tradition for us, as well. Enjoy one for me. Or two ... ha ha! GREAT JOB at staying on plan! You GO, girl! Especially with the crummy winter weather that just CALLS for warm, cozy, carb-filled meals to me.
Our wedding will definitely be low key - i'm aiming for a nice ceremony and an intimate dinner afterward. No attendants, no photographer, etc. We'd rather not blow a lot on four hours of our life ... and we're still trying to save up for our honeymoon in Italy (which I've YET to buy the tickets for - it'll be early Feb. - waiting for the price to drop!) Hope I don't wait so long that we end up taking a cruise instead. I'm in no shape for a bathing suit. ha ha!
Annie - Any update - are you going to take tomorrow off and relax? How is your youngest - still struggling with it, as well? Take care of yourself!! Will fiance come over to nurse you along later in the week/weekend?
I have a treadmill and before fiance moved in, I was on it probably 4 days/week. Very steadily. Now, with him, a dog, a kitten that's now a cat (not counting my OWN cat that loves attention on her own terms), and 101 things to do/plan, I NEVER commit any time to getting on it at all. Turned in all my yoga/pilates dvds to the library because I haven't done them and don't want to forget to do it before we leave. And after falling on the trail this weekend on a patch of ice, I'm kinda afraid to walk the dog in crummy weather alone. That'll pass, I'm sure - just gunshy. I'll see if I can get the errands done tonight, and just get on there for 15 minutes. A start
Lunch was a fairly crummy but creamy lean cuisine - I buy them maybe once/month for a speedy choice. I DO like the potstickers one but didn't see it at the market. Have an apple and popcorn to pop before I head out this afternoon so I don't cut my errands short because I'm hungry.
How are your afternoons/evenings shaping up? Ange, I guess it's really late at night for you. I cannot get that time thing straight
Keep enjoying too much food each day - not even SPECIAL things! 
Got some stakes to hold him down and pounded those in.
)....I really need to get a DVR. Going to make some white chocolate covered cranberries and maybe some whole wheat honey pear bread for gifts. Might even wrap some presents, too.
Then pear bread, choc. chip cookies and maybe fudge. Need to prep my food for work for the week, too. I'll need to get some laundry done, too. 
I agree with the pie thing. Although I am able to eat pie, I can also pass on it w/o a thought. Can do the same with ice cream, usually. It's the cookies, cakes and candy I have trouble with. I ate two of my choc. chip cookies last night. I cannot resist them. Good idea to take it a day at a time!!
