Good morning everyone. There have been some changes here; tried to go back to last week's thread to catch up but I can't find the option that lets you do that. Any hints?

The weekend was a busy one. We got most of the house decorated - just the tree left. We'll probably get one tomorrow night and decorate it Wednesday nite. I was surprised at how quickly the house swallowed up all of the nutcrackers, snowmen, etc. - not nearly as "decorated" as I thought it would be.

I had an awesome run yesterday. The temps here were perfect - about 7 Celsius when I started out. Ran for almost 57 minutes! My pedometer registered a little over 9K, but I don't think it's entirely accurate, anyway it was more the duration that I was happy with. I was particularly pleased because I did it alone and I always find that more difficult than running with company.

Anyway, just wanted to get the thread started. Will check in later to see how everyone's weekend was.

Good morning Seasaw & everyone else,

Had a busy weekend, too. Bought the Xmas tree on Friday night, Saturday DD went to a birthday party of a daycare classmate - it was a gymnastics party at a local place in Madison - great idea for a party for a bunch of 4 year olds.

Sunday we did a little shopping and bought a few more lights to add to our outside decorating. We put the tree in the stand but haven't decorated it yet. The inside of the house isn't decorated either - can't seem to get motivated - will have to get my butt in gear this week.

The weather's been great here, too, Seasaw , so I got in a couple of walks outside this weekend. It's supposed to be in the 50s for the early part of the week - gotta love that!

Today is my and DH's 7th wedding anniversary - it was a beautiful warm 55 degrees the day we got married - the weather we're having today reminds me of that.

BTW, awesome run Seasaw !!

Later,

Busy weekend here too! We had our annual Christmas party from work on Saturday; Sunday was spent with a meeting for DS Confirmation followed by a trip to the store. Weekends are so crazy anymore!

We're slowly getting Christmas decorations up--the outside of the house is done...now we have to focus on getting the inside decorated. I love this time of year. The hard part is that snow usually puts me in the Christmas mode and so far we haven't had a trace. It's supposed to be a balmy 55 today and in the low 60's tomorrow. Weird weather for us, especially since last year we were already getting buried in snow with over 45". I'm not going to complain too loudly because I can at least get outside and walk in this weather.

Katie: Congratulations on your anniversary! Are you doing anything special to celebrate?

This week is going to be equally busy--tonight I have yoga, more WW training tomorrow, and the usual household type chores intermingled with the CHristmas preps.

Happy Monday all!

Hey there everyone. Got a question (actually I'm repeating myself from the challenge thread) for ya. Since it seems that most of you doing the Challenge, weigh-in and post your efforts and challenges during this week for Week 12...

I'm thinking of postponing starting the 3rd Challenge to December 10th for Week 1. Then we'll all be weighing in and posting during the same week. Does this make sense? What do you think? I'm open to either, but have been feeling a bit out of sync with you all... and would love to get back on track.

Seasaw what a great run! Congrats! I love this season for running (walking). I did 5 miles (about 9K?) on Saturday and it was a blast.

Katie - major congrats on your anniversary. Have a great time tonight! Any specific plans?

Melissa - have fun with the holiday decorations, by the way what is DS Confirmation?

Ciao - Patch

Melissa & Patch -

Thanks for the warm wishes - didn't have any plans until about 1/2 hour ago, DH calls & asks if I have plans for lunch (he's such a last-minute kind of man). Amazingly, I did (out for lunch for the boss's birthday), so we are going to go out for supper tonight. My stepdaughter said she'd watch DD, so we're all set.

Patch - that's fine by me whenever you start Challenge #3 - I may have to change my official weigh in day from Wed to Friday starting next week because it doesn't look like the community meeting I do on Wed night is going to have enough members (need 20 paid members) to roll over for another series starting Dec 5.

Patch: Starting the challenge on the 10th sounds good. My typical weigh in day is Wednesday...as for DS Confirmation..."dear son Confirmation"--which is a sacrament in the Catholic church...He is beginning the preparation for his confirmation in April.

Katie: Enjoy your dinner out!

katie: Congratulations, and have a wonderful 7th celebration. Hey, both lunch and dinner out today? Lucky girl!

patch: Starting Challenge #3 next week is fine by me. I know I don't post numbers faithfully each week as many of you do, but this challenge has been instrumental in getting me to journal at least 60- 70% of the time, and that's a big improvement.

I did not weigh in on Saturday as planned. OK, I admit it - I hadn't lost a darned ounce and I did not want to face it! Trying to get back on track this week. The frantic round of lunches and dinners out and drinks, etc. starts this coming weekend; there'll be little else for me to do but set a realistic goal and try to hang on!

OK! - seem like the gang is up for making December 10th the new start date for the 3rd - 12 WEEK CHALLENGE!. So let's make it official.

I think I'll use this week to post just an informational thread about what the 12 WEEK CHALLENGE is - for anyone curious. I know anyone considering would love to hear why the Challenge "works"... so please let 'em have it!

Hey, patch, I'm ready for the challenge. Even have an (almost) new 12-week journal and my goal is to keep up with you guys and post my results regularly.

Melissa: Confirmation is a big milestone in the Catholic church. I can still remember the excitement and feeling really grown up once it was over. I think I was only eight or nine at the time, but in my mind, I was ready to meet the world!

Because we are spending Christmas at home alone for the first time ever this year, I have been thinking a lot about traditions and what we can do to personalize the event.Champagne, hors d'oeuvres and lingerie come to mind, but I'm interested in what others do on Christmas Eve. I will probably go to church at some point, but not with DH (claims not to believe). Any ideas?

Well, I overdid it a little in the food arena yesterday - somewheres around a 45 pt day - DH & I had a nice quiet dinner together.

The weather is so warm here - supposed to be about 62 degrees here. I am loving it!

Seasaw - a holiday with just your hubby - sounds like you've have a great start to the evening.... Our Christmas Eve is a family affair at DH's side of the family- usually consists of way too much food, going to church, the usual. Christmas morning is at home opening presents & then we've usually driven up to St. Paul, MN, on Christmas day to spend a few days with my side of the family.

Seasaw: Our Christmas Eve is a big deal for us. We have a traditional Polish/Slovak dinner. Our evening goes something like this:

Mass either before dinner or at Midnight. We have the Christmas reading from the Bible, then the youngest member of the family turns on the Christmas tree lights and then places the Infant Jesus in the manger. Once this is done we begin dinner. The meal consists of: breaking & sharing of the Christmas wafer (oplatky) with honey, borcsz (beet soup), mushroom soup, pierogies, bobalky (kind of like croutons) mixed with sauerkraut, fish, nutroll and poppyseed roll, and wine.

Christmas Day is much quieter--we don't have a big meal but rather just have a snack platter out and when someone is hungry they can eat. My mom told us that when she was growing up she hated having to sit at the dinner table on Christmas and not being able to play with her stuff so she vowed she wouldn't put her family through the same thing. We have had brunch with a casserole and everyone just kind of helps themselves, but again it's not a formal kind of thing.

Two years ago my parents were out of town for Christmas and it was just my family (DH and 2 sons) and my mother-in-law for dinner and it was quite different not having them around. It's a lot of work getting things together but it's really nice to sit at the table with the candles lit and sharing a special meal.

Katie: We're experiencing the same kind of weather--it's quite balmy here for December. Tomorrow we're supposed to be up around 65 or so and then Saturday reality will come and hit us--the forecast is calling for snow! I'm actually looking forward to it because the snow always puts me in the Christmas mood

Hey there all... While Chanukah is my holiday... I love the spirit of the season and the visual feast of the Christmas holiday. You all have some lovely plans.

Seasaw... - last year my hubby and I decided to "go away" for one night - driving from Santa Monica CA to Malibu (1/2 hr drive) - during the Xmas holiday, but you could easily do a wonderful romantic eve at home and make it quite a night!

Key to it is having things done and ready before you start the evening so you're not stressed out with cooking, preparing, or "setting the scene". Don't do anything that's going to take time away from the two of you, or cause conflict.

DH and I decided to get all sorts of scrumptious eats, and had two presents for each other (not even by plan!).. but it worked out great to be able to give and have a gift before the formal giftgiving day. We had a mini-hot tub and had a great time acting like teenagers in the tub. We fed each other, and sipped wine out of the same glass. It may sound corny, but here it is a year later and I still think about it in detail!

I love the idea of Champagne, hors d'oeuvres, and lingerie... how about silk boxers for him??? Rent some videos that will make both of you remember why you're together.

Disconnect the phone... or at least turn the ringer off and the volume on the answering machine to zero.

Keep eating under plan as much as is realistic during the week, and enjoy your Xmas eve and day. Plan with him something simple but romantic for Xmas day... it may even be as simple as a walk through the neighborhood... but it's wonderful to just have it be the two of you. Enjoy. Patch

Thanks everyone for sharing your traditions and ideas.

katie: Your Christmas holiday resembles mine when I still lived in my home town. My then-boyfriend and I divided our time between families - we both came from large families so there was always loads of food, new traditions, etc.

melissa: Great Christmas Eve tradition - lots of work, but worth every minute. And I especially like your family philosophy regarding Christmas day. Millions of kids (and adults) would likely agree.

patch: Last year's getaway sounds divine. I was actually planning something similar, but without leaving town I had already been thinking about a walk on Christmas Day in a local park where I experienced an epiphany of sorts a few years ago. I was out for a run on the 25th (DH's family was with us for the holiday) and came across two fully-decorated trees along the path, with a little note inviting people to decorate the trees in honour of the season and to be sure to take the decorations away by a certain date. I don't know why, but it brought tears to my eyes and I was filled with that "spirit" that I rarely feel anymore. Maybe DH and I can capture it again!

We put the tree up last nite, and the decorating starts tonight. We're planning to have our guests place the last of the decorations on Saturday - price for a drink!

Just pulling this thread up as I see tha t Patch replied to last week's.

The cut and colour went well. The only thing disagreeable about the whole experience was the cost. I can't believe it cost me almost $150 to get an inch taken off and to apply highlights. Is everyone else paying these prices?

I'm seriously starting to think about applying semi-permanent colour at home. Trouble is, I'm pretty much remedial when it comes to hair. I can wash it, put product in it and dry it, but that's pretty much it. Do any of you apply the semi-perm colour at home and, if so, does it require great expertise?

Wow, patch, five inches cut off? You must be feeling positively lightheaded!

hey y'all...

Yep Seasaw, it's a wierd feeling to have relatively short hair. I'm loving it.

I pay about 110 cut and color (not even highlights) and unfortunately in Los Angeles, that's considered fairly low. 150 is the norm. Grrrrrr. I'm hopeless and doing it myself so I grimace and bear it.