i'm home from w a. what a workout! i'm pooped. we just finished dinner. that gave me a little more energy.

vickie, i know what you mean about the smells being hypnotic. i'm still trying not to bake much. so far so good. it's hard, though. i'm still op. we go to a party fri night. i have ww wi and start my new week fri am. that should help.

rhonda, how many pts did it say? i've never looked for pts spent on archery. i'll go see if i can find out. (just in case, though, what did you find out?)
i know you're having a good time at the tree trimming party. makes me smile.

kathy, i don't blame you for doubling the meatballs. i think the easy road is the best.

got to go. i need to spend time with curtis.

Yeah, Frouf, where are you. I bet she's got her head in a bunch of cruise brochures!

Well, I didn't do as badly as I feared I might but not as well as I wish I had....know that feeling?! I did stay away from the alcohol except for one glass of white wine. I tasted many of the treats but did not overindulge. It was a struggle. I had to make myself stay in a chair because everywhere I looked or strolled by there was some NON- Core food or another.

Tomorrow, I'm going to stay Core all day long. I might have to make it one minute at a time. I have to get back to writing it all down...this month away from a routine has taken a toll on my thoughtfulness. But, I'll get back, I have NO doubt.

Nite all,
Rhonda

We are doing great Chicks! A few tiny slips won't kill us as long as we don't let loose all together.

Thanks for the morale support! I didn't have anything to eat after dinner. I wasn't hungry but I wanted to eat anyway. I watched a Christmas movie that Jim DVR'd for me and then I went and had a bubble bath. Now I'm here having a hot vanilla. It helps me get in my second milk serving. I especially like it before bed because it's basically just hot milk. Tonight I put 1 oz of Torani caramel SF syrup in it. It tastes really decadent with a bit of cinnamon sprinkled on top.

We'll be turning in soon. Big day ahead of me.

rhonda and vickie, we get to mark one day down. i'm taking this one day at a time, too. well, probably one minute at a time. we're doing all right. sounds like you both had excellent days. and didn't you have fun, too? i'll bet you're both smiling right now.

vickie, i like what you said, "We are doing great Chicks! A few tiny slips won't kill us as long as we don't let lose all together." i agree 100%

"slips" are just a part of life. we all know we have to keep living while on this wonderful journey to healthier bodies.

i'm off my soapbox now. night night.

Sandra, I found a calculator that says a person who weighs 168 pounds and shoots at a stationery (sp?) target for one hour burns 267 calories.

http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.html

thank you, vickie. i bookmarked this. 267 calories per hour doesn't sound like a lot, does it? i know i get dehydrated when i'm pulling the bow back a lot, especially the longbow. that takes something out of me for sure.

does that mean 5 pts?

Good morning! I have to get to work but wanted to stop in and say hey.

Hey! :wave:

Hey yourself(ves)!

I have a very busy day fighting the good fight against University administrators, having lunch with good women friends and an early supper with another friend. I'll have to really be careful, again!

But, I'll do it today and let tomorrow worry about itself.

I'll check in tonight. Have a great OP, Core or Flore day everyone. We can do this. :cheer2:

Froufy...you lurking out there??


Rhonda

Morning ladies! I had a good night's sleep, after imbibing in some delicious hot Thera-Flu for Severe Colds. :lol: I'm sending the kids back to school today, and am going to try to get on with my day.

I had a big NSV yesterday. A friend of mine brought over a huge plate of holiday cookies...the kinds I love, but the kinds my kids and husband don't. You know...mint chocolate, dried cranberries w/vanilla chips, coconut? Anyway, I knew my weakness for cookies, and with my mom's moral support :) , I put them down the garbage disposal. I appreciate my friend's thoughtfulness, but I don't need 10 cookies for myself! I did keep one miniature dark chocolate bar with peanuts and ate that. Not too shabby!

I have weigh-in tonight..we'll see how I'm doing then.

Angela

Good Morning Chicks! I feel a bit stronger with the morning light. And....I'm very, VERY proud of myself for not eating anything after dinner last night....not even Core food.

But I am no where near as proud of myself as I am of Angela! OMG, I am bursting at the seams with happiness for you for dumping those cookies! I completely understand how hard that was for you. I don't eat junk cookies. You could put a package of oreos in front of me and I won't touch one. However, homemade pastries are quite a different story. Great going, GF! I'm sure you'll be rewarded on the scale tonight. I can't wait to hear.

Sandra, that's a great question. I don't know how to convert from that calculator to a WW point. I know how you got to 5 though using the 50 calories per point theory. What does the slide rule calculate for you doing 1 hour of moderate exercise? How many for extensive? I'd be curious to know. I love that calculator. I think Kathy might have posted it a LONG time ago. It was definitely someone on this list that gave it to me. I love that it takes your weight into account in the calculation.

Rhonda, you've got the right idea! One day at a time...one meal at a time. Have a great day with your GF's. I hope you have an easier day than you thought with those Administrators.

Good Morning, Kathy! How dare they keep you so busy that you don't have time to get to your site? How was the cookbook received? I'm so tired I don't know how I ever worked and got all this done. I think I just said no to a lot of things. Jim said he feels like we are on vacation this week and not retired. I told him it's because we are doing all the things that we used to do on Christmas vacation. When do you start your vacation?

Ok...time for a menu thread. I even know what I'm cooking for dinner!

:lol: I eat good cookies, junk cookies, whatever you put in front of me, even if they aren't very tasty. :cookie:

Angela

Angela, you are a stronger woman than I. I put the cookies in the freezer, but did you know frozen cookies are wonderful? The rest are coming with me on Christmas to my MIL. Then we are back to a core household. I don't dare step on the scale right now - it won't be pretty. :(

It feels like such a long time since I posted. Amazingly my foot healed very quickly. I ended up ditching the crutches Saturday and by Monday I could wear a regular shoe. Now it feels fine but gets sore on spot now and again - I assume that is where the frature is.

I had a wonderful weeked - family party on Sunday. But food wise I did not do so well. Not being able to walk put me in an eating mood. Sunday I ate to the point my stomach hurt. Not good. So, Monday I was back to being on plan as best I could. I officially finished my Christmas shopping today and everything is wrapped -- even all of Santa's gifts are wrapped. It helps alot to be off from work this week.

Tomorrow I need to run to the office to drop off a gift and show off Sarah -- she has been asking for months to go to mommy's office. So I'll take her tomorrow. Then I have to grocery shop and we have neighbors coming over tomorrow night. Friday afternoon, getting together with my girlfriend and her kids, Friday night either another neighbor or my husbands cousin. Saturday night another party at a friends house, Sunday the children's services are at 10:45 am so Christmas eve we are home alone! Whew -- I'm tired already.

Its alot of fun - I love this time of year.

I dropped of Sarah at school this morning and then took an hour walk. Pretty good I think - then I went to the mall. Thank goodness I don't have to go back there.

How is everyone doing???

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? :D)

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 :D) 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

Frouf, I LOVE to hear the stories of your life! I'm glad you checked in because we were all worrying about you....well at least wondering.

Paula, isn't it fun but crazy all at the same time? Just be as good as you can. That's all we can hope for.

For me, it's best if I just don't get started.

One batch of cookies mixed. Time to go bake them! I don't feel like eating lunch. I have to make sure I don't get too hungry lest the snitching begins!

Wow....we are busy! I'm talking to myself this afternoon. I finished two batches of cookies. Jim cleaned a bunch of stuff for me and now I'm cooking dinner. Tonight is the last night I'll cook until I make something light for us on Christmas Eve. I don't have time and I don't want the house messed up. It's bad enough that I didn't get any of my cleaning done today. I'll have to be very efficient tomorrow.

I have to make a catch of cookies in the morning and then some deliveries before we go out to dinner. I'm not sure what I'm going to eat for dinner on Friday and Saturday. I'm considering Texas Roadhouse because I can be good there. I'm not sure about Saturday. I'll make the best choices that I can.

Hang in there girls! All too soon the holidays will be over and we'll just be struggling to get through the boring Winter.