I now have a decorated tree and my Nativity Scene set up so Christmas is definitely going to come! Wendy's little girls were just adorable yesterday. They really liked setting up the Nativity. Wendy kept telling them to be careful until I told her it was not breakable. (I lied!) It bothers me when parents are "at" kids all the time. Katherine was wearing a dress and tights and W. kept telling her to sit with her knees together. She's four, for Heaven's sake!

After my dental appointment yesterday which was not great, I did a big shop for groceries. This morning I will do some cooking for gifts and for the Christmas Eve bash and may do a bit more decorating. Rob and I are going to a children's Christmas concert after lunch which should really put me in the mood.

What's happening on your stretch of sand today?

YIPES BRRRRRRRRR Where's my Robe???? Where's my Cawffee???? It is NI P P P P P Y!!!

Ruth: Sounds like you have a deeeeelightful day planned! Children singing.. it's like hearing a piece of heaven! I bet yer house looks loverly!

I was so very bad yesterday .. sooo Off plan that there was no plan! I can't be trusted around chocolate AT ALL!
I bought DH a box of Cella Choco covered cherries as a stocking stuffer. I ate the box. I need to replace it now. What makes this even more pathetic is that I had WRAPPED the box already..but it was calling to me .....eeeeaaaaat meeeeeee...Im a chococherry waiting fer yoooouUUUU.. UGH .. How sad is that???

More wrapping on the docket today.. I ran out of tape ..bleah.... Time fer my crossword puzzle, more cawfee, and then an exercise tape.

Have a wonderful day gals!!!

Good morning~~

It's frigid here this morning, but thankfully, not icy. No scraping windshields this morning.

Ruth, sounds like Christmas has come in Big Time at your house. That's great!

Schatzi, I'm glad I'm not the only Chick on the Beach who hears chocolate covered cherries calling to her! I thought I was hallucinating.

Not much going on here. We're playing the waiting game...waiting for Christmas...waiting for the kids to get here...waiting for our anniversary in January. Speaking of, I still need to break the news to my boss that I need to take an extra day off that I hadn't planned. Our flight has thoughtfully been re-arranged by Northwest Airlines. Instead of leaving in the afternoon, we now leave in the morning. And instead of routing through Memphis, we're routed through Minneapolis, which scares the snot out of me. I'm NOT a good flier under the best of circumstances and the thought of being caught in a snow storm....GIVE ME DRUGS!!!

Gotta get dressed for work now. HAGD on the Beach everyone~~

Good morning ladies!

Schatzi- You crack me up. I myself heard chocolate calling from the downstairs. It was the no bake chocolate oatmeal cookies that I made for my brother for our Christmas party. Other than that ... ah, who am I kidding the whole day was terrible eating.

I did manage to make it to the gym. I only got in 10 minutes of cardio before class (I normally get in 30) I took DS to the mall last night to see Santa. I HAD to get it down. I usually do it earlier, but I got sick and then he got sick. You know... life. He had a pee pee accident and after I changed him, he insisted on going back home to his dad instead of the gym kidcare. Considering that is what his dad wanted, I took him. I did get exercise keeping up with my 3 year old in the mall though.

Class was HARD last night. I walked in and saw this woman that was built. She looked like an actual athlete. I'm talking big shoulders. She was quite a different instructor from the little young skinny toned thing from the previous classes. I made it through. (I made sure to use light weights, b/c I didn't know how many reps she would do. Smart move on my part b/c she did a lot and mine light weight got pretty heavy)

Other than that, I am just keeping my head above water.

Mamacita- good luck on your flight. It will be worth it when you get to where you are going, right?

Ruth- Awww. I know what you mean about parents, I do the same thing at my house. Try to keep the parent off of them. But, when I have my 3 year old out and about. I try very hard to keep him from breaking things. They can be so destructive and it is mortifiying when they manage to break someone else's stuff.

You know, my Nativity scene really is breakable and I would hate it to be destroyed. However it seemed more important to let the children put it together than to fret about it. I bought it in St Peter's Square in Rome ten years ago and just love it but kids are more important.

Jeez, it's nearly nine, I've been up since 4 and have done dick-all - or is it jane-all these PC days?

Off the butt, Ruthie!

Good morning! It's a beautiful day, but it looks like I've got stuck with the Christmas crud that's been going around at school! Feeling very sniffly and ughhhhh. Debating whether to spend the day at home or go into the lab. I could work from here, so maybe I'll stay. My #1 priority is getting those law school essays finished, and I have them on file here at home.

Ruth ~ Enjoy the Christmas concert. It sounds so adorable!

Schatzi ~ at unwrapping the cherries to get to them. It so sounds like something I would have done! I was visiting my parents yesterday and my dad had gotten a box of yummy cookies from his work, and I had to restrain myself not to open them and take some!

Mamacita ~ I hope that your travels are safe and as stress-free as can be!

Dana ~ Good job on getting through the class last night!

oh Ruth that sounds like so much fun! Everyone can you beleive that christmas is Sunday yikes!
I am just waiting patiently to hear how I did on my finals.......ahhh I just want my grades!
on a very sad note I go back to class the 27th for my intersession class..GROSS but I will be graduating in MAY whoohoo

Schatzi, you are hilarious! To even get into those chocolates after you wrapped them - you take the cake, LOL!

Time is running away from me this morning, it took too long in the supermarket and now I only have an hour before I have to leave for work. Since Audrey doesn't have school this week, she's been spending the mornings with Mommy to have special one-on-one time with her, so I've been getting the mornings off and just picking up Maggie at her nursery school at noon. I've been able to get a lot of things done around the house, so we're all caught up for Christmas. Ruth, I can sympathize with you regarding overbearing parents, I run into it almost every day in my field. Children have to grow up too fast these days, and I believe you should just let a child BE a child. They are so precious and innocent.

Dana ~ How is your mother today? That was awful what happened to her in the restaurant. Is the manager aware of what happened? They should have you all back for a free meal on them.

Mamacita ~ I gave my SIL most of the items on your suggestion list, and she was estatic! Thanks again!

Good morning crk05 and angelshine90, have a great day!

Well it seems like everyone is off to a busy start today. I have been busy doing household chores and tryng to get some wrapping done. The staying on plan is going good so far and hope I can continue. I have to bake still for Christmas and I will be doing recipes from this site plus a pumpkin pie. I have a lot of running around this evening to do so I will be making dinner early. I made a batch of Mock French Toast today for the next couple days. Making Salsa Chicken for dinner. Added a daily yogurt into my diet starting yesterday. I hope the 4oz Dannon Light'n Fit with Fiber is okay!?? Well I hope you all have a great day and stay on plan!!

Ruth - It looks like alot like Christmas now at your house. Sorry to hear your dental appointment didn't go well. I too agree with you about the children. Growing up we were never allowed to help with the tree so when I had kids I decided they could do the decorating (all but the lights). We may not have the prettiest tree around but I can tell you it is decorated with a tremendous amount of love and yes we have had some broken ornaments along the way.

Schatzi - That is why I don't have Chocolate covered cheeries in my house. I will eat the whole box. They are my biggest weakness. I have been known to just buy a single one at the register, get to the car, eat it and then go back in for another.

Mamacita - Have a great flight and a great time when you go!

Dana - Good job with sticking with the class even though is was tough.

Christina - Hope you get to feeling better real soon. Take care of yourself so you can be well for Christmas.

Angelshine90 - I am sure you did fine on your exams. Not too much longer until graduation it will be here before you know it.

Cottagebythesea- Glad to see you have been able to catch things up along with spend precious time with the children.

Ruth, it's great to hear you sounding so much better.

I'm running 'round like a chicken with my head cut off trying to get things finished! Presents are mailed, but I forgot one, and my best friend sent me one of her other friend's presents by mistake, so need to make a run to the P.O. tomorrow. The office is a mess with all my wrapping and box stuff...need to clean that up. Have to do three batches of cookies today so I can give them away tomorrow. Have to start my Christmas cards, which will obviously be late...I better get going!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful day!

Sounds like everybody has a busy day planned. Today is a reduced staffing day for me. That means that we run a skeleton crew today but I have to be constantly available so I can get on the computer within about 10 minutes if I am needed. I did do a little work today but I also managed a trip to the grocery store after dropping Brian off at day care.

I've got chili in the crockpot and I'm going to make the crabmeat/avocado salad that is in the new cookbook and we'll have some as an appetizer with the chili. We might even have a bit with lunch if I get started on it soon. I had hoped to get some yardwork done but it is a drizzly day with possible flurries so I think I'll stay inside. I probably will run out for a haircut later.

I did make it to the gym last night. I only spent a half hour walking and doing circuit weights and then I soaked in the hot tub for a bit. My leg muscles are still really sore from the squats on Saturday but I want to try to get in at least some walking today. Tomorrow I have the day off work but I also have a mammogram, a dental cleaning for me and a dental cleaning for Brian so it will be a very busy day.

Hello all - busy day again. I've got to finish cleaning house so a. it's presentable when DH's friend comes to dinner tomorrow and b. we can get our tree. There's still a lot of accumulated crapola from when I was too busy with school to clean much. At least DH's friend is single and not fussy about tidiness!

Gotta run - have a great day chickies!

You ladies crack me up. I've been bad also...all those cookies & sweets have my number as well.
Working retail during the holidays doesn't help either.....last night was awful!!
I had 3 call offs and I have 6 registers which only 5 work (waiting for parts to come in for the other one!) Last night I had 5 cashiers, but I do need to give them breaks (it is the law!) So I was the only person on the floor answering phone calls & folding, etc. And there was a VERY long line, but I couldn't get on the register because my boss doesn't want any manager on a register when they are the only ones in the store. Well people kept complaining about the line & I would apoligize & wish them a great holiday, blah, blah, but after the third complaint I couldn't handle it. This woman was pure evil, would listen to me - couldn't believe I was giving people breaks. Then she looked at me & said "If I was a manager, I would be on a register." So I gave it right back to her "If I was a shopper out shopping a week before Christmas I would a expect a line." That honked her off....wanted my name, my store # - whatever. Why complain.....you think I'm that dumb, that I don't realize there's a line? If there was something I could do to make it better - wouldn't I? I want your $$$ - I want my bonus....but I'm only human! Had to vent....I swear it gets worse every year!
So I guess the moral of the story is....if you don't want to wait in line - stay home & shop online because I'm tired of hearing your complaining & there's nothing I can do anyway!
Well I gotta go & get ready for another round of this crap! Holidays - hum-bug!

Cottage- Mom is fine. She is still sore, but healing. They are going to pay her for her glasses, but they aren't going out of their way for her. The step was lighted with those rope lights and they warned us about it when we were being seated. So, I guess they think that is all they should do. I wonder, though, how many other people have tripped there. I would say it will turn into a suit one day. But, not with my mom.

Barb- good job on getting to the gym. A little of something is better than a lot of nothing.

Soon2bfab- Good for you! I don't understand why people feel the need to make asses of themselves in public. It's like they don't know how to put themselves in your shoes. She deserved to have it back in her face. You are human too. And I totaly agree with you that if you don't want to wait in line, you shouldn't shop the week before Christmas. I used to work at Service Merchandise way back when and I was amazed at how people would break line and stuff. I would always call them on it if I saw it. I would say, "I believe they were here first." I know it would make me mad if I were waiting. It will be over with soon, try to keep your cool! Where is it that you work?