Good morning and help yourself to coffee or tea. We can sit in the back room and chat since the woodstove held overnight.

I'm off to the gym for 7:30 and then will pick up some prescriptions on the way home to change into party clothes. Hershey and I are invited to the Christmas luncheon at the clinic where we do pet therapy. I'm not keen on a turkey dinner at noon but she sure is!

This afternoon will be more cooking, decorating and laundry. Having company BEFORE Christmas sure puts a bit of pressure on.

What's up with you and yours today?

What a pleasant way to start the day, with good friends and a good cup of coffee.

Mmmm, a turkey dinner sounds wonderful for lunch, Ruth. At least if you eat a big lunch, you won't have to fuss for supper. It sounds like you're all organized for Christmas.

The girls have their Christmas party at school this morning, then are both dismissed at noon for the beginning of their winter vacation. I may go over to the school to help out with the party, I haven't decided yet. Sometimes there's not enough volunteers to help out, and other times there's way too many of us! I do like to be there when Santa arrives, though. I love to see the wonder and excitement in the little ones' faces. This afternoon they have their special Christmas recital at ballet, and they've been really working on that. I'm looking forward to it, and will take my camera and a big stash of kleenex!

I need a refill!

Hey, it's above zero today! I'll take whatever I can.

Ruth - I'd love a spot by the wood stove with a big mug of coffee. Sounds heavenly!

Cottage - All those lovely holidays when they are little make wonderful memories. It seems to go by so fast! Some days I can't believe Tiff is 26 already! Enjoy

I'm getting ready for our staff potluck this afternoon and getting some work done at home. It's amazing how much more work I can do here! I think I'm going to try 3 Sisters Stew. It's a new recipe with squash, beans, and corn. I've got quite a bit of corn that I froze before starting SBD and have been looking for things to do with it. I'm going to bring some hummus for me

I gave spaghetti squash another try last night and loved it! Made it with a tiny bit of EVOO, lots of garlic and some freshly grated parm. Yummmmm

The scale moved one whole pound today (finally!) I don't think I'm going to make my goal for the month but at least it's moving again!

Enjoy your day all!

Good Morning Everyone,
Ruth Have a nice luncheon at the clinic.
Cottage There is something about watching children see Santa. To me it just doesn't feel much like Christmas until you watch their little faces light up.
Cyndi Have a lovely time at your pot luck. And congratulations on the pound.
Kim - I totally hear you about the lawyers. Yesterday is was an architect, some facility guy, and 2 customer service guys, the regional vice president and my boss. All I kept thinking was “go home”.
Gonna – I’m glad you’re feeling a bit better but hurry and feel LOTS better. I’m getting my DF a watch and a new leather jacket and when I mentioned this to the men in my office they started a 45 minute conversation about watches. They kept saying a guy can never have too many.
Schmoodle – I’m sorry you’re lunch meeting wasn’t more fun. And then you had to get rid of food. I hope they are able to fix your fridge today.
KO – Good luck on your detox effots.
Pacer – DF had pneumonia last week and I thought I was going to lose my mind with all the whining. I finally told him he shouldn’t waste any energy talking and just get lots of rest. It didn’t work but I had to try. I hope your DH gets better soon.
Me Yesterday was crazier than I expected. I ended up working 12 hours and my eating and water consumption was non-existent. I guess that’s better than eating all the wrong things but I also know how bad not eating is. Oh well today is a new day and I will just have to try again. Have a great day everyone.

Big delays with phone calls so I'm just off to the gym now. A friend's pacemaker is crashing and they've taken him to hospital by helicopter! I had to put him on our Church prayer list and lots of folks don't have email. Luddites abound in the boonies!

Outta here right now!

Quick goodmorning everyone. Hope your day is everything you want it to be.

Running out the door a bit early to do some grade posting at school, then after school will make a pot of "sketti" with ground turkey. rush, rush, rush..

good morning chicks. I feel icky today, I am very crampy (pre TOM, sorry Tom), and I feel nauseous too. I hope we didn't eat something bad from the not-so-cold fridge. The repairman will be here today, fingers crossed I will have my fridge back by the end of the day and won't be broke. I'm close enough as it is. I am going to take the afternoon off and do some shopping. It's the first time I've been in a store all holiday season, and I hope it's not too painful. I just need to get some jeans for DD and stocking stuffers for DS, and pick up DH's gift. If I have the energy, I may try on some bras (I'm desperate).
Ruth, nothing sounds more appealing right now than curling up in your back room in front of the stove with coffee - and chatting with you and Hershey. I'd love to become a Luddite one day, if only I didn't have to give up my internet!
cottage, what a fun Christmas day with the kiddies! You are such an awesome grandmother, those kids will always remember you being there.
Cyndi, glad to hear your scale moved. Dare I hope that the scale strike is over? I won't know until Saturday morning, but you've given me hope.
Thinby, hope you have an easier day today! Don't forget to eat!
Have a great day Cat!

I think I'll try making a pan of the bean brownies this AM. Yoo-hoo, Kara!, did you ever perfect that recipe?

I'm so glad so many of you are getting to celebrate the season as well as work on it!

Ruth, enjoy the day--it has to be fun seeing Hersh's excitement at all that turkey! Our new dog has a huge addiction to it and would be a little puddle of drool if she were invited!

Cottage, enjoy the recital...it sounds awesome!

Cyndi, I don't think we've met! Congrats on the scale moving again and have fun at the potluck!

Dawn, your day yesterday sounds really tough! Can you bring some snacks to work that you'll have around for the next time this could happen? I used to privately think, "Well, at least I probably burned some calories today" when I had those kind of non-eating days, but I now know that they are probably more devastating to your weightloss than cheating! They can really mess up your metabolism and your body can get into starvation mode where you don't lose anything. Try to keep some food around for those kind of emergencies--it took me a while to learn that lesson and now I'm paying for it! I totally hear you about DFs whining! I saw this great "Baby Blues" comic strip once. It showed the mom, pinning the dad down on the couch so she could take a tiny splinter out of his finger. He was screaming and crying and making a ginormous fuss. It was titled, "Why men don't bear children." SOOOO true!

Oh, Ruth, I hope your friend is okay!

Oooh, Cat, can I come over to your place tonight? Sounds yummy!

Oh, Schmoodle, I'm so sorry about your fridge! I hope it's all fixed soon! Hope you feel better too. I'm sure this is the last thing you want to hear, but exercise can really help with those cramps. Maybe just walking around at the mall will work?

Me:
Uggh, my cold is back again. My fault for staying up too late with Christmas prep and then staying up even later reading "just a little" in my extremely engaging book. "rolleyes" I'm just SO immature when it comes to disciplining myself with reading. Oy! At least I finished it so I should get some sleep tonight...

I skipped choir last night to finish off our cookies. I didn't make one of the batches we planned, but that's okay. At least we have decent variety. Tonight I have my mood and food group and tomorrow night we'll box up the cookies for distribution. I'm going to swing by the dollar store before I hit the gym and see if I can find some doilies for the tins I bought last year...we'll see.

Have a great day, chicks! Stay warm!

Morning my south beach friends. I feel great this morning. I was able to eat a full normal break fast of sauteed spinach & 2 eggs over medium - delish.

Ruth I hope you have a great workout. Enjoy the luncheon. Thoughts and prayers are coming your way for your friend.

Cottage thank you for the suggestions on the gifts for my DH he loves stuff like that. I hope the recital goes off with a bang.

Cyndi Congratulations on the moving scale. It's much better when it goes down and not up.

Dawn watches are something my Dh always wants. He has 13 and I already bought him one for christmas this year. hank you for the well wishes - I feel great this morning.

Cat I hope the same for you today and everyday

Schmoodle I sure hope your not coming down with that stomach bug like I had

Morning Laurie I hope you feel better real soon

Heres a little to get through the hump day and all it brings

Morning Ladies. I hope to heaven I am not getting what DH has, I have that naggy achy feeling today. I have a heap of shopping left to do and can't be sick now!

Ruth Hope you enjoy your luncheon today!

Cottage Enjoy the kids today! I heard the Christmas song "Little Toy Trains" on my way into work today and darn near cried! I miss the kids being little, but I am not ready to be called grandma just yet, although DD says I am the new pups grammie!

Cyndi Glad the scales moved! Wtg! This is a tough time of year for that so be proud!

Thin I know what it is like to get wrapped up in work and not be able to eat. I try to keep emergency snacks for just that reason.

Schmoodle Hope the fridge damage is minimal and you get to feeling better!

Laurie I know what you mean about reading, I am the same way when I get into a good book!

Gonna Glad you are feeling better!

Me Well I can breath a little easier, the last gift I ordered online came in yesterday! I'm such a mean mother! It was for DD and wrapped in plain brown paper, I told her it was hers and she could shake it all she wanted. Drove the poor kid crazy all night! She may hate me on christmas because it is 21 Janet Evanovich books that I am thinking of wrapping seperatly and then putting in one big box and wrapping. Between the wrapping and the fact that it is books I could be in trouble, but she did ask her brother to buy her a couple of them!

Alright I have got to get my behind in gear, have a great day chicks!

Morning chicks.... it is soooo cold here today.... I am freezing. Been busy, busy, busy trying to finish up shopping, wrapping, and I need to make a list for grocery shopping, we are cooking are own christmas dinner this year. This will be the 3rd time in 21 years that I cooked.... I do have my tree up so atleast it looks like christmas is coming. Well gotta to dash almost lunch and nap time. Have a great day chicks.

ps- I am looking for a stuffing recipie... one that uses potatoes do any of you chicks have one?

It's HUMP DAY!! The week is almost over!

Thank goodness. I don't know how much more of this I can take!

Ruth: I hope your friend is okay. Have a great time at the luncheon! You could do what I do at functions and talk so much that nobody notices you don't eat your food! Good luck getting ready for all of your company.

Cottage: Oooh, the Christmas recital and party sounds like so much fun. I hope you'll post some pictures. With the girls out for the holiday, will you be spending more time working?

Cyndi: A moving scale is certainly something to dance about! (And all that dancing burns calories!!) Hope the stew turns out great! Let me know because with my two sisters, that would be a great dish for the three of us to visit over!

Dawn: I hope you have time to eat and drink today! After yesterday, today the office is deathly quiet. It's scary really...the calm before the storm. I hope the rest of the week is easy for both of us!

, Cat! I hope you have a great day!

Schmoodle: Good luck shopping. I don't envy you that trip! I order my bras online at Just My Size. I have DH measure me and stock up on the sales. I just got two $26.00 bras for $13.99 each! Anywho--good luck again and I'm crossing my fingers for the fridge!

Laurie: I'm the same way with reading! Get me in a good book, well, it doesn't even have to be that good, and I can't seem to stop reading. Maybe there's a support group for gals like us, "Reading Insomniacs Anonymous" or something! Well, hope you get some sleep and that your cold just turns out to be the sniffles!

GonnaBe: Your breakfast sounds like it was delish! I'm glad you're feeling better!

Stephanie: You're not a mean mom, you're a normal mom! But that is too funny! You'll have to let us know how you end up wrapping them and what her reaction is.

LC: Sorry, no stuffing recipes here. I'm not a stuffing person. Congrats on getting your tree up! Have a great day!

Me: Not much going on here. More treats in the office today. I'm talking cake, donuts, bread...you name it. I avoided it with some saltines (was feeling a bit nauseous because of my Metformin) and my usual oatmeal and blueberries. I hope I can keep up the healthy eating.

Tonight will be straightening the house and hopefully finishing my mom's scarf. I'll start little sis' tomorrow and work on it Friday night and on the road on Saturday. Hopefully that will finish it up. If not, I'll just have to hide out in my parents' guest room at night until I finish it. I'm worried that my books will get here today in the mail, so I'll just have to leave them in their boxes until after Christmas if I want to get anything done!

Well, gotta get to work again. By the way, the chocolate bar from yesterday was taken home, a square was eaten by DH and the remainder was taken to the outside dumpster. I won that battle!!

~Kim

Happy Wednesday Chicks!

I'm slinking in with my tail between my legs. I've been so off plan this holiday season, that all I want for Christmas is some willpower. It started with a cookie exchange on the 10th and has all gone wrong from there, I'm fighting a pulled back muscle and a cold, and to top it off I'm crashing from the sugar.

I have 3 more days of work to get thru and then I'm off for 4 days. We're staying home for Christmas (DH will be working) so if I restart Phase 1 tomorrow, I could have the worst of the SBD flu over by time to return to work next week. Okay, that's the plan. I'm going to go plan 2 weeks worth of Phase 1 menus and make a new workout schedule.

Thanks for listening to me ramble.

Hi Ladies Still wacky from the meds and sore ARG!
Ruth: Our thoughts and prayers are with your friend. Good luck with the lunch!
Cottage: I love how involved you are with your girls they are truly lucky to have you!
Dawn: Maybe you should have an emergency snack kit. depending on your fridge access oatmeal pkts laughing cow string cheese, cottage cheese hard boiled eggs?
Schmoodle good luck shopping!
Laurie I'm the same way with books! once I'm in you can't tear me away!
Gonna your breakfast sounds yummy!
Steph! Thats a great idea for DD's gift!
LC Maybe saute the potatoes (either shreds or cubes) till golden with onions celery and carrots almost like a hash and use turkey seasoning on it.
Kim Just picture all those baddies (not goodies) as blobs of chicken fat! Your oats and blueberries sound delish and not rife ewith corn syrup!
Dixie Feel better hon I've pulled a back muscle before and it stinks!

Me:
I may or may not be going out with the girls tonight. I feel like poop and one of my gfs is flying to OKlahoma tomorrow for xmas. DH has a wake and is going with the fire dept so I can't go. Which is a relief I hate to say. a new blog has requested a writing sample from me and if they like it I get Paid! so As soon as My head stops spinning my pen will start scratching and my fingers tapping. Our poor tree is still not decorated but at this point It's probably not getting done which makes me sad. But I can't get the boxes out and certainly can't carry them.
I think I will Martha Stewart Some HB Eggs (That's when you bring the water up to boiling then cover turn off the flame and let them sit for an hour for "perfect" eggs
in the meantime String cheese and Turkey! and some hot tea (CAFFEINE!!!!!!!!!!!)