Woke up with a cough at 4:00 this morning. Put Splenda in the coffee-grounds basket instead of coffee. Hope that's not an indicator for this brrrr cold Tuesday.

I'm back to healthy eating after the food-orgy in Louisiana. Donut Girl brought Christmas cookies yesterday. I stayed out of them. Yay me! We got out the Christmas decorations yesterday and our old building is looking festive. Our annual Open House is Friday.

The coffee is pretty good with its extra layer of sweetness. Want a cup?

I totally need a cup! I'm normally slightly awake before the alarm; for the past two days it has woken me with a start. After counting points yesterday (and feeling like binging because I hate counting things/restricting myself) I decided I'm not going to do that anymore. I'm just going to keep track of my carbs and fat use and not worry about the other stuff. It's pretty hard to overeat beans, in my opinion.

Hope everyone has a great day today - just work for me, and then my centering prayer group at church tonight.

Not a good start here either but all is well now that I've cleaned up the back room and made my Keurig. We have a rainy day in store and snow predicted but they are wrong lots of the time these days.

Michelle, good going on resisting the cookies. I would have to join you on that - one nibble means I get into Cookie Monster mode very quickly.

Mathilda, counting points and calories is a real drag. I need to cook up some beans to have on hand. Thanks for the reminder.

I'm off to the city this afternoon for a re-check on my hearing aids - or my $3K earrings as I prefer to call them. Was hoping to get some Christmas shopping done afterward but it's a 3:30 appointment and it'll be dark for the drive home so ... I find night driving difficult and am thinking of giving it up.

Today I will do one Christmassy thing. I refuse to panic this year. Yesterday I filled the porch baskets with greenery and holly. Today may be "hang the wreath" day. Tomorrow will be "find the lights" day.

So fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la! See y'all later.

It's raining here, and I didn't want to get up. Coffee is much appreciated this morning!

Chelby, been there, done that, on the coffee.

Matilda, glad you had a clean eating day yesterday, and am hoping today is another good one.

Ruth, dare I ask what happened in the back room? I'm glad you are enjoying your Christmas present to yourself, it makes some of the best coffee I've ever had. You know, you could leave for the city earlier, and do some shopping before your appointment. You are ahead of me on the decorating, but I'm planning to get it all done this weekend.

I was home with a sick child yesterday. Maggie has a headcold and had a slight fever, so we kept her home from school. Audrey was sniffling when she came home and mentioned that her throat felt tender, so I'm expecting the call to head over to the farm early with both kids home. So far, so good, though.
I was totally back on-plan yesterday, and I love that 'rush' that I get from clean eating. Ruth's rum cake and oatmeal cookies are safely stashed in the freezer, where I'm trying to forget about them.

We had an exciting day here at the house. For the past several months we've been hearing scurrying up in our attic and the sound of nuts dropping. My husband set a squirrel trap to catch and release it in another town. However, no luck. The trap would be closed, but no squirrel inside. I finally convinced him to buy a smaller trap with much smaller wire mesh. Well, within 10 minutes of putting it up in the attic, we had our critter! It is the cutest little flying squirrel!! They're so tiny with the biggest black eyes. They look just like Sugar Baby Squirrels. My girls want to adopt them, but it's not happening. We caught 2 so far. I'm going to keep a tally.
Felt a bit better after the doctor's appt yesterday. He did give me a mild tranquilizer to take if I really get anxiety ridden, but I hope it will pass with time. I'm finding the older I get, the more sensitive and emotional I'm becoming. Maybe it has to do with my age the old hormones. Isn't being a woman fun?
Well here's to a happy Tuesday to all!!!

Good morning chicks. Our laptop is down, so this is an iPod poke (short!). I'm recovering from what I suspect is food poisoning...a not-so-great way to balance those Thansgiving calories (which I wasn't too bad).

I'm not quite myself yet (prob more b/c of the head cold), so we'll see how much gets accomplished outside of a long day of work!

Chris- me toooo! I think children do that to ya!

Good Morning

On the run here! I just got up and have to be to work in 45 min. Coffee is brewing....here I come!

have a great day everyone!

Good morning Well that morning didn't go the way we expected but everything is fine now. DW is heading off to a staff meeting at work. She can't drive yet but wants to go in just for a couple of hours today and Friday.
It's another warm day around here. I actually have one window open so I can listen to the birds. Maybe the rest of the snow will melt today.

Chel - you are the donut resistance queen

Matilda - good luck carb counting I have been entering my food in FitDay for so long now that it feels weird to miss a day. Wish I was that automated with exercise

Ruth - I have not started anything for the holidays yet. Guess I should do something, maybe make a list? I did find a one skein knitting book I want to buy my Mom. Is it wrong to give it to her with a skein of yarn and a bookmark on the gloves I want? I suppose I know the answer to that...

Cottage - Homemade oatmeal cookies would kill me. They are still one of my faves. Hope you don't get the cold. Eat clementines

Chris - Hormones are a challenge. I think that's why I don't sleep well anymore. Personally I'd like to just be done and on the other side of this little transition.
A friend had flying squirrels in his house. Drove his cat crazy.

Okay, time to get DW some lunch and then to the carpool lot. SHe is going in with her boss then I'm picking her up at lunchtime.

Cottage, the back room involved toilet paper, a putty knife, Pinesol and Febreeze BEFORE coffee. Are you sorry you asked? Yes, I am going to go early to do a wee grocery shop since my veggie drawer is now compost. Cucumbers do not last well!

Chris, we had attic scurrying here once but it wasn't flying squirrels but big gray ones. They were caught and quickly "re-homed" in the woods and their access hole patched fast. At the moment we have some albino ones around - sort of blond and very strange. Looks like a gray did a Romeo and Juliet with a red one.

OK - going to do a Christmas job now before I leap into the rest of the day. I am going to wash the new red tablecloth I bought on Black Friday!

Have a great Twos-Day.

Edited: at Cyndi, Debbie and Twynn. Get better fast, Twynn!

Twynn-It must be a mother/woman thing. We just have to hang it there. Nothing lasts forever, thank God. Feel better soon.

Cindi-The not sleeping well is really trying too. I'm with you, the sooner we're over this transition, the better!

Ruth-I'm secretly happy that these guys are little. Everything is easier to deal with when it's small and cute. I laughed out loud at your Romeo and Juliet comment!

I couldn't agree more! LOVE that feeling!

Just lurking, something about this board makes it so much easier to stay on plan!
Thanks gals!

Sob** Sob ** It's cold and really raining and I MUST go to Kingston this afternoon. I think it is wrong to have to wear a winter coat and carry an umbrella! Maybe lentil soup for lunch will make me feel better.

hi Chelby - i've got a killer cold too. I blame you Feel better!

I am on the road AGAIN and am in NYC. I've traveled every week since November 6th. And in 2 weeks I come back to NY, then another 2 weeks before I am on the road in Kansas City and then the west coast (Utah and Cali).

I have to say that I am so proud of myself for not cheating once while doing all this traveling.

*pat on back*

Stay warm everyone!