Hopefully everyone is getting their chores done.

Ruth - I love bonding with my toys. Find that when I read the manuals it really helps. Ruth 70 is today's 50.

The traffic is horrendous here today and its snowing. I have spent some time cleaning up and put supper in the crockpot. I love my crockpot for days like today. Eating hasn't been great today, what is it about weekends?
Enjoy your evening ladies.
Sophie

Thanks for the suggestions, I am going to try putting orange peels around the base and see what happens.

Got all the cleaning done and DD2 is back from birthday party as well. DH is taking a couple friends of ours to Hockey game tonight, DS is working and DD1 has a soccer game tonight super late, so DD2 and I are going to relax at home. Going to try and get the Christmas Letter made up as well and maybe wrap some presents as well.

That's too bad about your dog not doing well on Chicken Soup! My two girls are thriving on it! Beautiful shiny coats and no itches. We also put fish oil on their food, so that might help. Taste of the Wild is supposed to be a really awesome food though, good luck!

As for me, all I'm doing today is studying for finals and writing papers..bleh! Taking a time out from studying to read the forums. We had mock french toast and hot tea for lunch, so yummy! We are at the end of the first week of Phase 1 and I've lost about 4 pounds so far, and I'm feeling fantastic! Can't wait to tackle the next week!

I need some help, Wednesday and Thursday my fiance and I will be traveling to North Carolina for my company's Christmas party. They have rented out an Irish pub for the entire day. Everyone will be drinking. I know we can't have alcohol on Phase 1, so I'm afraid we're going to be miserable while all my coworkers are drinking and having fun. Are there any options for us? Or are we stuck drinking water all evening?

Our visit with Santa was so cute today! A friend of mine hosts an open house each year. Her FIL dresses as Santa and sits in front of the fireplace. We get to take our time, talk to Santa and take pictures. DD asked for a pony!! What!??! How about the stash of toys I have carefully hidden away, I was hoping to hear about one of those toys! DS did the same thing, pulled out ideas that I have never heard of! Being the smart cookie that I am, I suggested a few of the things I already got. I'll pick up some small "pony" toy as a gift for DD now!
We didn't end up making cookies today at my mom's house. We did decorate gingerbread cookies from a kit she bought. I wouldn't recommend it. We didn't use any of the candy that came with it, it was rock hard. We didn't use the frosting it came with, it was too much work to drag out the mixer. We used a can my mom had in the pantry. So basically we used the gingerbread men, and half were broken! Oh well, they had fun. Doubt they'll eat them though, they are too hard.
I am now settled in front of the computer, coffee in hand, trying to hammer out at least 3 hours of work. I better get to it!

PrincessH, you can have a glass or two of wine on SBD.

Our forecasted flurries turned into a beautiful Currier & Ives landscape. It's especially pretty with the glow from all the Christmas lights up and down the street.

If you have little kids... you are probably getting the same question I am over and over... "HOW MANY DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS?!?!"
I found this cute advent calendar online, thought I would share.
Your little one can color Santa's face. Each day add a cotton ball for his beard...
Here is the link:
http://crafts.kaboose.com/santa.pdf

Jen,
The advent calendar is adorable. This will really be something that DS will get into.

Finished the tree tonight. It's so great!! I need to get some ribbon though, it needs a little something else.

I've been having some odd contractions today...I hope this isn't signaling anything - we still have too much to do!

Zeff - did you go early with DS #1? You have a C Section scheduled, right?

Sunday morning coffee is ready! It's a winter wonderland out there with another three inches of snow that fell overnight. I think I am going to have to keep the deck shovelled off better this winter because the current Doggage have much shorter legs than the Porties. Anyhow, more snow is on the way for every day this week. I love it! If it's going to be Winter, I want snow instead of plain old cold with grey and brown frozen earth.

It's The Hanging of The Greens at Church this morning. I hope my coffee cake is OK. It looks a bit dry but may be fine when it's cut. I'm taking along some butter just in case. I used a recipe from 1960 and my tastes may have changed.

Another old recipe will be revisited today when I make my lamb and rice pilaf. I'll be using brown rice, of course - something we didn't even know about in 1960! Can you tell I've been going through old recipes - and pitching loads of them! Most of them are food porn anyhow.

Today, after Church, will be another "at home" day. I want to make a pot of evergreens for the side step and will venture out to the woods to cut branches. I couldn't do that last year because of my knee. If I get really brave, I'll go to the swamp to cut some winterberry. Yes, I take my cell phone just in case so don't worry. I think the bears are asleep by now and our wolves usually sleep in the daytime.

I hope your Sunday has some quiet moments just for you.

:coffee2: Good morning!

It's cold and windy, looking out over the snow covered yard. Brrrrrrrr! I think we may just stay home this morning, rather than having breakfast with the gang. Jake made some really tasty coffee, maybe Ruth can cyber-send us some of that cranberry pecan coffee cake to go with it. :D

I'm not sure what today's agenda will be. Monica and the girls didn't come out yesterday because of the weather, so may be out today. It will most likely be a full house with everyone here. :dizzy:

I'd better get another cup of that coffee before Jake drinks it all!

Good Morning. I have my coffee and am researching how to transfer cell number to my new cell phone. I've had the old cell for 6 years, time to upgrade! The new phone also takes pictures! I don't use my phone alot, hence why I am on tracfone. And the new one comes with double minutes for life.

I am going to be giving the dogs a bath today because I picked up the revolution meds. I also picked up some meds for Jade's ears yesterday. She's still got some yeast in them. I switched them over to taste of wild yesterday, hoping they do well on it. they seem to like the taste, so that's a plus.

Good morning Chicks :coffee2:

Ruth - Do you really have wolves?? Now I have to visit ;) When I was a kid we used to go into the "swamp" for our tree. Every year at least one of us would go through the ice into the river and get soaked (always along the shore so just legs). Got to the point we refused to go down there anymore! I hope your adventure is a drier.

Cottage - Just the slightest dusting of snow here but there's more to come. Hope you have a warm, cozy family day today.

Lori- Good luck with the food. Of course there will be puppy pics when you have the new phone?!

Zeff - How are you this morning??

Not much around here today, just chores from home. Have a warm, snuggly day out there :)

Good morning ladies...had our first bit of snow in Rhode Island and I didn't go out and the custormary bread and milk yesterday (could have used eggs too). I finally gave in and placed an order through Peapod...a home delivery via one of the supermarkets here (Stop and Shop). I actually spend less than I usually do,bought sensible (mostly) things, including 5 cases of water that I don't have to carry...delivery is tomorrow between 5-7 PM....I can't wait to see what it feels like to get groceries without having to shop in the store, load and unload the car and carry them up the stairs...

We now have a Trader Joes in Rhode Island so that has been fun also. My school holiday party last night was moderately attended and fun. We had it at someones house and everyone brought a dish. With the economy and a large young staff, I didn't think folks would want to go to a "place" and spend upwards of $25 a person or something. So we had our own food and fun....
I am hoping for a quiet day, I have been fighting a cold and cough since Thanksgiving and seem to be so tired. I know my daughter is going to ask to take my SUV today and I really wish she would stay home!!! Always something to disagree over with an almost 10 year old female who so wants to be all grown up.
I hope you all have the kind of day you would like to and may it be a wonderful one...happy to be back with you wonderful women - Suzyq
(now if I can get back with some wonderful diet!!!)

Morning girls. It must have been a false alarm last night. DH and I went for a quick walk and everything kind of calmed down.

I was very late with DS1, but who knows with this one. I have a c-section scheduled.

Today, I'm planning to make some dough for cookies that needs to be chilled. I wanted to go to a movie, but DH wants to watch football at noon. I also want to get a few things done around the house if I can peel DH away from the TV long enough to get some help.

I hate that Sundays are our day to do work, but there is also a huge chunk of time that I can't expect any attention to be paid because football is on. Oy.

Time for late breakfast!

Brrrr! It's pretty out there but a wind has come up and it's bitter with blowing snow. I am going to hold off on going into the woods. And yes, Cyndi, we do have wolves and coyotes.