Here I am - yes busy doing cruise research - ha ha ha....but also crazy busy at work and I am so looking forward to taking some time off over the holidays.
Vickie - you are a stronger woman than I - I could never bake and not try the results - or not snitch some 'dough' - good for you. I bet the house smelt divine!
Angela - kudos to you too for making the cookies 'disappear' - I think that was a wise decision and keeping only one seemed to work out well for you!
Kathy - your tree looks amazing - have you put the gifts underneath yet?
Paula - glad your foot is all healed - sounds like you are back to exercising again?
Rhonda - love the white meal thing - I too always look forward to the shortest day - cuz I know from then on the days get a bit longer each and every time and yes as silly as it seems it does help me psychologically get thru our long cold and dark winters.....however i can't complain cuz the past week has been abnormally warmer - all snow gone - I can see green grass everywhere - very weird - but we know it won't last - I bet we still have a white christmas!
Well I did have go to out and buy a new menorah - slim pickings - but I got something I liked for $60....so far the old one has not turned up! And ds is really enjoying lighting his little menorah - he even brought it into school on Monday and did a 'presentation' - all kiddies also got their own dreidel and bag of chanuka gelt (chocolate coins)! Today he is off on a field trip to see Charlotte's Web as they have been reading it in school - very excited!
Trying to finish up stuff at work and feeling a bit stressed but nothing new. My eating is not that great altho I do try to watch my portions? But I am not eating hard core. Yesterday was a lunch out (today's was cancelled thank goodness) - italian restaurant - had a veal calzone (inside out pizza) - w/side salad - but I only had HALF of it and doggie bagged the rest! Trying to snack on fruit, lf yogurt, popcorn, and eat healthier in general. My goal is NOT to gain weight over the holidays. And I do need to start exercising - esp in preparation for my upcoming cruise (73 days to go but who's counting?

)
Going to sil's for xmas eve - dinner and present opening - have almost all gifts except a few - and need to do some major wrapping! Poor dh is down with a cold that is not getting better (up most of the night coughing) so he is not much help right now. I think I can get him to do some wrapping? And we can get out on the weekend (with the thousands of other last minute shoppers) and get our final goodies.
Kids presents are bought - dd finally got a digital camera (no photoshop yet tho) so I hope she will stop harassing me -got ds this big furry hoodie he wanted from The Gap - now little ds needs one more 'real' gift from me and I still need to get that. He still thinks Santa is coming and dh got him this great train set (more for dh I think than ds

) so that will 'appear' on xmas morning - but I need to give him something when I give the 'other' kids their presents!
I am already dreaming of blue skies, aqua waters and seeing some exotic places! Waiting for my buddy Ray from Vegas to book the cruise (he claims he will have $$/tax rebate on jan 2nd) - he is a platinum cruiser and if we link our reservations it seems I may be able to get some of the same perks? (I'll believe it when I see it!). Also just applied for my new passport as mine expires in February. Still no good airfare deals so I am waiting to book that!
Back to work!
Frouf