Good morning, Beach Babes!

Our white Christmas is melting away! We are not back to muddy paws as yet but the snow is gone from the roads and from the Girls' path across the back deck. I'm sure we'll get more.

Christmas Eve was fabulous - the Church service was magical and holy and the party here afterwards was fairly un-holy! I went to see Harry yesterday for Christmas Dinner at noon - it was pretty low key but what the heck did I expect! I was supposed to go out last night but felt rather sad so stayed home with the Girls rather than inflict myself on anyone.

Today is the Second Day of Christmas so I'm waiting for the two turtle doves to show up. I was thinking a nice wild rice stuffing and a sf grape jelly glaze would be nice on them. JUST KIDDING! While I wait for the birds to show, I am going to sort out my fridge and make a big chop-chop salad and some broccoli soup. I am ashamed at my lousy veggie eating habits and also plan to get Hersh to lose some weight. I think she is more than 15 pounds overweight right now from too many treats and no exercise!

What's happening at your house today? Anybody want Bailey's in their coffee?

Good Morning!

We slept in this morning, and it felt great. I was totally wiped-out after the past few days! We had a very nice Christmas, with a lot of family and friends coming and going. Of course there was too much food and drink, but it's all part of the celebration in our family. Today I'm not doing anything, just taking it easy. The kids will probably show up at suppertime to help eat leftovers, but I'm not making anything special. Mom needs some rest!

Good morning!

So tired...

Christmas was pretty good. My husband and I ate Christmas Eve dinner at my parents' house and exchanged gifts with my parents. Then we headed to midnight mass at my church, which was beautiful as always! We got back to our apartment, and decided that we weren't tired, so stayed up and opened our presents until 2:30 am. Lots of fun!

So Christmas Day we slept in until about 10:00, and it was so nice. Then, we went to his church and ate breakfast afterwards, really at lunchtime! Finally, I cooked a nice Christmas dinner (tuna and salmon) for the two of us and we sat and ate it by candlelight while watching one of our favorite Christmas movies, A Christmas Story.

Today he's back at work and I have the apartment to myself. I think I'll do a little schoolwork (but not too much ), run a couple of errands, and if I'm feeling brave, putting some of my Christmas money to good use at the mall!

Have a great day everyone!

Ruth~ I will have Bailey's in my coffee. I want so badly to be with you right now. I need to up my veggies too. Lets challenge each other. Did Santa bring you anything extra??? Muddy here too. we had mosquitos buzzing outside our back door. In Dec!!???
Cottage& crk05~ sounds lovely!!!

Today is the first day.........you know the cliche.
I am really thinking about my focus.
Lots of other thoughts too. The kids and hubby slept in til 7:45. I lounged in bed.ahhhhhh.I love listening to the sounds of their activities.
Christmas was beautiful in every way.

On the Eve we stayed home and puttered about. I whipped up a delish candle light dinner of a mountain of shrimp and chinese side dishes, wine, pop in wine glasses for the kids in the diningroom.The kids were sweet and excited. We kept checking the Norad site to follow Santa. We watched Franklin’s Christmas and they went to bed at 8. Hubby and I had a cocktail. At 9 when we were sure the little angels were asleep we pulled out all the prezzies and wrapped the rest and placed them under the tree. We have been watching a cheesie movie most evenings.He stayed up and watched Blazing Saddles.
The kids woke at 7:15 AM. I wish I had been quicker with the video camera to record their voices and exclaimations.
They skipped down the stairs and sat giggling in wonder!!!! Can we really open them! Is this for ME??
They LOVED every present. Hubby was surprised and the things I got him.He picked me up new oven mitts and tea towels. Very thoughtful. Mine are ragged and I always burn myself.
Sweet!!!
We had some scrambled eggs and toast and the kids ate chocolate treats. Bella dancerella has been well used. DD knows all the words to the songs already. DS has not taken his hat off and loves the little stuff like his monster truck.
Hubby hasn’t taken his hat off either.
I made peanut brittle and fudge to take to my Sis’s, we all had nice long baths....we had shrimp and veggies for lunch and headed out.
It was a nice time at my Sis’s. To quote Hubby, “That was almost tolerable.” LOL! My Mom was VERY excited but not wiggy. Dad was great. My BIL’s folks were there too and I enjoy them. My Aunt keeps talking to me like we are buddies but I really dont respond. I hate to ruin the happines of my memories with anything negative because it was sooooo wonderful BUT she disowned me , apparently for about 6 months. For me it is forever. I am still very hurt and angry by her 30 years of two facedness and lies. Anyhow, I did let it slide off and I ignored her.
We watched ,"A Christmas Story”. Hilarious. Kids played games. We had a sing a long at the piano. DD did a solo!! She is so brave and really quite talented for a little monkey. She belts the tunes out!! BIL’s Dad is a singer and told me we should offer her music lessons because she has an ear for music/talent.
We had a lovely turkey dinner. My Mom and Sister did all the work ,They have been together there for 3 days getting ready. The old me always wanted to be a part of it all, but I dont fit in ,so I just sat back and visited with my Dad and Grandma and played with the kids. They all drank a lot .I didn’t. We watched video of my kids Christmas concert and then we left. We were home by 8. The kids played a bit with new stuff. DD and I put on our new matching kitten pajamas.DS put on his new goalie pajamas and off to bed. Hubby and I had a drink and relaxed. I dozed off and then went up to bed. Oh, Happy sigh.

Today feels like a new and refreshing start. I will be mindful of my food intake and exercise. I will be careful of my work load. I will take pleasure in small every day miracles.

Morning everyone.....I'm up, getting ready for work - aagh the day after xmas....all those lovely returns & lovely, nce people to match. Maybe I'll sit in the office & hide?
Xmas was fun....my sil cooked, my little niece had tons of presents.....she actually got tired of opening presents!!
I didn't get to surprise anyone with the engagement news....dbf did the right thing by calling my father up & asking permission. And let's say my dad has a BIG mouth! So basically my family knew before I did!!
The drive back was a little hariy!! Lots of snow/rain mix in the Toledo area & no salt trucks....it took us an extra hour & half to get home & I was driving because df forgot his inhaller & was feeling lousy!
AND....I'm back on phase I.....I will lose this weight!!! I packed up all the goodies & had df take them to work. This morning is water, eggs & some light ham. My ticker is lying right now!! My goal is to have it be right by Feb!
Well...off to work I go! Enjoy your day & keep warm!!

Morning ladies. Want to talk about sleeping in? 10:00 today. I needed it, though.

Christmas was very, very good to me. I got my Bears jersey, Seinfeld Season 6, and lots of clothes and fun things. Woo hoo!

MIL gets out of the hospital today, finally. They're just waiting on the "official discharge." I don't really want to go out to eat, but may have to if the restaurant is open because she wants to take us someplace nice for a Christmas meal since she really can't make anything.

We have to go to the grocery store and load up on fruits and veggies. Terry's hopping back on the diet too, and we're going to a step aerobics class tonight. I need to get cleaned up. Hope everyone had a fabulous holiday.

Lisa

Today finds me doing laundry, looking thru the new cookbook and planning Phase 1 out for the start of the New year. Christmas was wonderful but had way too much not good for you foods. Hope you all have a great day

Hi chicks!

Merry Christmas - Happy Holidays all that good stuff. I've been very naughty and let's just say the past week has been blur of calories, sugar and fat. I hope everyone did better than I did. I'm trying to get my bearings for the new year. New year new focus. The only thing I've done well is exercise with the PT other than that - I'm bad!

But I started reading inspirational diet stuff last night and I'm building motivation. Today is the first day that I try not to stuff myself silly. Tomorrow I begin to weed out sugars and carbs. I work out with the PT tonight and tomorrow and Thursdays.

Hope all you chicks are well.

Hello all, I hope everyone had a lovely holiday weekend.

DH's family just left a short while ago. They came over for dinner and presents tonight, since we were at my brother's on Christmas. I cooked a turkey, made mashed potatoes and gravy, cooked some Brussels sprouts, and made a raw veggie salad, plus MIL brought green beans and a carrot dish. DH's grandparents couldn't make it at the last minute, though, as grandpa tripped and fell this morning and apparently broke his nose. Poor guy! And my SIL's BF couldn't make it, but she brought her ex-DH, whose grandma just died this morning and left him feeling pretty blue. Everyone seemed to have fun, and it was nice to see DS playing with his cousins (who are both much older) and generally running around loving on everyone - even SIL's ex. He is such a ray of sunshine!

I've got some errands to run tomorrow, and shopping Wednesday with my mother, but then Thursday (while DS is in daycare) I plan to kick back and take it easy for once! DH bought me the complete Calvin & Hobbs collection (that huge 3 volume boxed set) for Christmas, so I will have a chance to read it then, at last.

Good evening ladies from a hot and sunny Brisbane where the lowest temp over the past week has been 25C and the max 36C. Such is Christmas in the tropics.

I just jumped in to ask my friend Ruth if the Polar Bears in her neck of the woods(which she tells me she can see from her backyard) are enjoying the big melt. One would have thought that those in particular needed the snow to survive.

I hope you have all had an enjoyable Christmas and that the New Year brings all the joy that you could wish for.

Maybe I should show you whats in MY backyard.

Ohh and Ruthxxx - forget the coffee, the Baileys will do just fine.