I'd love to skip this part or pretend that this is not another year that I have on the "winter" weight...agh...LOL But the scales are still around 160. Very discouraging. But God is good, life is a gift and weight shouldn't be the center of my world. So I'm trying hard to keep it all in perspective.
Yeah on your good night's sleep Monet!
Jack-K...woo hoo on the exercise. I've been trying to do better in that department. The other night I got my 2 miles in on the treadmill in 30 minutes 10 seconds. I was so stocked. Walked the whole thing at 4.0 a first. I can do that outside but it usually eluded me on the treadmill. Thanks for the encouragment.
Julia...Our Christmas traditions are changing as the children get older. This is the first year that we gave our older children their gifts already. My hubby made a cross out of horseshoes for our older daughter. She had seen one in a catalog and just feel in love with it. He even made matching candle holders to go with it. The younger 3 can hardly wait. My mama and Papa Honey are coming over for dinner on Christmas. It used to always be at moma's house until about five years ago. Now us girls have Christmas day at our own homes.
Sorry I can't get to everyone. We are fixing to head out the door and there are some dishes calling my name. I thought about changing my name but the chores always have a way of tracking me down.
Just got in from buying what may be my last present. I would like more for Tom, but to him, its a present for me not to spend too much!
Now I have to wrap all this stuff... and I am sure I will think of ten more things I really ought to buy before Christmas! I am SO bad!
Yesterday, we got what I consider the sign that Christmas is almost here...a box from my sister, sent from Maytag Dairy Farms in Newton Iowa....with their famous bleu cheese! Oh, its to die for! I have not opened it yet...but we love the stuff! She sent cheddar too, so those who can't stand bleu will have something to eat.
Also, my fruit sweetened, brown rice flour cookies actually were really good. Unfortunately, I burned them, but they still tasted ok! I am going to make some more of them later, and make them with larger cutters. They have ground hazelnuts in them, so they are very tasty and don't need any icing or anything...though a bit of chocolate would be not be bad...
Guess I will start wrapping...that always takes me forever!
Crystle- I love what you said in your 1st paragraph of your post. Now that being said, my eating SUCKS,lol! Boogie had a Christmas party at Speech earlier and I ate way too many homemade chocolate chip cookies and chips and dip. THEN I had a dbl. cheeseburger and fries from McDonald's!! Oh, boy I just shot that 161 up to about 163! To top it off, I'm really feeling lazy so I'm only going to do my Ramp it Up workout instead of the Burn it UP which is more intense and longer(and burns alot more calories). Oh, well. Hey, at least supper will be legal, lol. Cooking chicken breasts in mushroom soup, green beans, butter peas(another starch!), and probably some rice for the rest of the family. I'll be glad when the 1st of the year gets here so that I won't keep excusing my way into indulging with bad foods and gaining weight in the process. I need to go!
Just wanted to get on her quickly and wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas. It is REALLY snowing here. We have about 3" and expecting 15 more tonight. So I may not be on here until next Wed or Jan 3. I haven't decided if I will take off all week or not.
Those of us eating off plan, enjoy but jump right back on and you will be fine. Anyone traveling, have a safe trip.
I have done my grocery shopping for the holidays this morning. It sure feels good to get things done without having to wrestler with the crowd. I was glad I manage to find the smallest spiral ham for us. We are not having too many people over so that is just perfect and the price wasn't too bad either. Since I don't bake well, I bought a illegal pecan pie for dessert on Christmas day, that will be my treat but then again, I usually can't eat much after the meal anyway.
Dh has been messing with my computer but at the end he gave me back my basic window operation system but he is not giving up. I am sure he will use his days off starting tomorrow to concur the problems...lol. He wants to instal Windows XP? Whatever...lol. Oh, while Jess and I were at the store, she asked if she can buy some gummy bears as present for dh and that daddy would be so surprised. I said ok and helped her picked a small handful of the gummy bears for dh. Our agreement was that she can't tell dh about it because it will be a surprise. As soon as we get home and she saw daddy, she whispered to her daddy, "Sssshhh, don't ask me about the candies"....LOL. Oh well....
REPLIES :
JACKIE : Muffins and breakfast casserole definitely sounds great. I have finally made my decision to go simple so I will make muffins, fatty scrambled eggs (smile) and fruit salad instead. What is bellinis?
MONET : How do you make your sausage balls? What else do you eat them with? Our church has no service on Christmas eve or Christmas so we will hang out at home. Our church had a special Christmas service last week and one after the Christmas. I noticed that you mentioned that you will have Christmas dinner at 1pm?? Why do you call it dinner? I have heard some people said the same thing but the time was not what I expected. Just curious Woo Hooo.....I am dancing with you!! Nothing like a good night sleep. Hope you continue to sleep well.
TECHWIFE : I love breakfast casserole and I make it on regular days too, once in a while so I will give Christmas a break...lol. Jess will ask me to play this or that toys with her and after 100 times of doing so, I really drag it when she asks me to play with her again. I try but I know it can be very hard. Isn't it wonderful to be done early and able to rest? I love that feelings and take my time to enjoy other things. I have one gift left to wrap, although not techically a gift that dh and I bought for my daughter but we decided to expose it to her on Christmas day to make her day even more exciting. It is one of those kids "4 wheel drive" that runs on a special car batteries. Dh got it from his friend who desprately wanted to get rid of it because it was taking up space in his garage...lol. It was given to us free I spent yesterday night cleaning it and dh have yet to get new batteries for it but will probably do so tomorrow. Then, I will "try" to wrap it up for Christmas. I know she is going to go nuts over it. I don't like buying gift for other people especially when I do not know what they like or don't like. Most kids have so many things that whatever you buy will mean nothing unless it is something so expensive. Too bad the boy didn't appreciate what you bought him but you have done well. I hope he gives it to someone else who will need those warm gloves for the winter and a watch to brighten up his day.
FILLISE : Have a safe trip and have a Merry Christmas!! We will sure miss you
COUNTRY : I agree, the holidays are more to just weight and food. Just focus on having a good time with your loved ones and appreciating all the wonderful blessings You will do just fine. Sounds like you have a wonderful family and traditions too
MONET : I have tried the Maytag bleu cheese before. I first heard it on Food Network and wanted to try it and then one day, I found it at Publix. It was good but a bit pricery Dh loves Bleu cheese. I am sure my dh thinks the same as Tom. That's why I didn't request for any gifts this year since we already spent quite a bit from the trip to FL, the gifts to his family etc, oh, not to mention the groceries for holidays etc, which can be quite costly. I couldn't resist spending his hard earned money to get him a coffee maker though....lol which I hope he will like since his old one is really old.
HEART : As what Jack said, get back on the wagon and you will be fine. I am saving my illegals for Christmas day and after...lol.
JACK : Merry Christmas to you too and chat with you next year Will miss you in the meantime
On Christmas we have probably our most special dinner of the year. This year's menu:
Prime filet of beef, roasted med. rare and sliced thick, served with Sauce Robert with green peppercorns.
Russian Potatoes (yes, definitely not SB legal!!) these are mashed potatoes with sour cream and butter in them, with slow cooked caramelized sweet onions as a middle layer, and then the whole thing "iced" with sour cream. Think calories!
Romaine lettuce salad with sliced scallions, mandarin orange segments, avocado and fresh grated parmesan cheese.
We always have a birthday cake of some sort, often a cranberry pudding, loaf style cake with caramel sauce. This year we are having small individual chocolate cakes with molten centers, served in a pool of chocolate sauce with a tiny scoop of ice cream, vanilla. I will have a candle on top of each one and we will sing "Happy Birthday to Jesus." Last year we all wore big gold paper crowns with imitation jewels to go with our devotional after dinner. This year we will wear birthday party hats and have blowers. We will have a devotional, probably about being ready for Christmas, but are we ready for Jesus.
Christmas day, also traditional foods, many of which are not SB legal:
Breakfast: sliced and toasted sour cream cake, with butter (which is redundant, but good!), fresh cut up citrus fruits and berries, fresh coffee and real cream, eggs and sausage if desired.
Christmas dinner: This year we are having more than turkey. I have a home baked, NOT spiral sliced, ham prepared with a mustard glaze, marachino cherries and pineapple. Also a 12# turkey stuffed with wild rice stuffing--has dried fruits and a bit of sausage added. Stuffed zucchini squash, spinach casserole, fresh fruit, cranberry sauce, and apple pie for dessert.
We take most of the morning opening gifts as we do them one at a time, where we all watch while someone opens their gift. Sometime we take a "break" and get more coffee or toasted cake. We have always had stockings which we open at the table at breakfast, and we have had fun doing those. However, I have always been the one stuffing the stockings, and had to buy my own stocking stuffers. So, this year I decided that I'm sick of that, and that if anyone wants to continue that tradition, they will have to do it.
I have finished my shopping, except for one gift, which is for my DS's live in g.F. If she doesn't show, like she didn't show for Thanksgiving or for his birthday last week, then I will return the gift to the store. I'm getting sick of "Playing the game." My, I'm in a testy mood, aren't I??!!
We had some cold weather the last 2 days, but today it has warmed up nicely and I have my back door open and have been going out with not even a sweater. It's so great to live in FLa. I definitely have thin blood. Just like BOB.
Nothing more to report. As you can see from the above menus, I don't stress over the extra calories over this week. Next week I will hop back on the wagon. We are having a NY party, so that will be another day for "relaxing."
Hope everyone has a blessed week.
I wanted to attach a really cute file to the end of this message. Definitely a keeper. But, it was 150 mb and this board only allows 50. So, sorry. I wish we had a bit more leeway.
We went out to dinner...and made some bad decisions. We went to a Chinese place that used to be good...but it was not tonight. The service stunk and the food was not good. It was ok, nothing we could really complain about...just not authentic and skimpy on the ingredients. I won't be going back there...even if the owner did give me a box of green tea as a Happy Holiday present!
KENG: My in laws call the noon meal dinner and the evening meal supper. They are a farming family...and the noon meal was the biggest meal of the day. Growing up, my family called the meals Breakfast, lunch and dinner...rarely used the term supper. Sausage balls are fairly easy. Its a pound of sausage, 1/2 cup bisquick (I sub a ww mix for this) and 2 cups grated cheese. You mix that all together, then roll it into small balls about 1 1/2 inch in diameter. Bake them at like 375 until as brown as you like them. (we like them almost burned! ) I use low fat sausage, and low fat cheese...they are pretty good!
GATOR: Email that cute file to me... I would love to see it! Your menu sounds divine! We are having country ham, which I am not crazy about...and Erik is fixing some kind of mashed potato dish. He gets these recipes from the club he is a chef at....good stuff, but often expensive! He uses a liberal amount of truffles and truffle oil. Oh, my! $$!! I am determined to have my family's tradition...roast pork.
I am so tired now! Its been a long day! I hope the hot tea I had with dinner doesn't effect my sleeping tonight!
Quick check in- eating has been terrible but it's not the end of the world. I'm all excited about Boogie's trip. I've been checking everything out online and it's seems so wonderful. Apparently, they meet you at the airport with a rental car and you stay at Give Kids The World Village which is awesome within itself. You get a village your own with 2 bedrooms, a big bath, and kitchenette with a fridge stocked with snacks. They have a free ice cream parlor, arcade, pool, golf, etc,,,just at the Village which is located 20 mintues from DW. They supply breakfast and supper at the GKTW village inside a Gingerbread House restaurant and they give you plenty of spending money for lunch at the theme parks and souvenirs. WOW! This is the info I've received from others who have had their wishes granted. I don't know who is more excited, me or Boogie,lol. Man, I'm soooo cold! I have 2 pairs of slipper socks on, the heaters on high, the electric blanket on the kids and I'm still freezing! Well, the kids are hollering it's lunch time, gotta run.
What a day! I would rather not even talk about it...but I need to vent. I drove 45 minutes up to pick up Ruth to take her to a walk in doc in the box. While we were waiting, I made a comment to the receptionist that she had been in an auto accident, and the woman told us that in that case, she had to pay cash, they could not bill her insurance company! She claimed it was the law! I want to know who wrote a stupid law like that, as it helps NO ONE but the insurance companies! Ruth could not afford to pay the $300 fee up front, so she could not see the doctor! Why couldn't she be seen and wrangle it out later with the stupid insurance company? If any one here works for an insurance company, I apolgize for my attitude, but honestly, I think they have really screwed up the medical establishment with their laws and greed. She was hurting and in pain, but she could not be seen without a tremendous amount of money she did not have...all for a law to protect insurance companies from fraud. Makes sense to me, NOT. She can't get the information on her accident report until it is processed on Monday. What a coil.
SO, I cancelled volunteer work at the church and lunch with a young friend, all for nothing.
In addition, my life has been so busy, I am feeling decidedly peaked. My swelly belly is really bad, and hurts like the devil. I am tired, and as you can probably tell, cranky. I still have to shop for grocery items for Christmas too. I may go over to the store now. Traffic probably won't be bad, as everyone left early today! Tom is working out, then shopping. He is looking for a present for me, and no one has it in stock. Poor guy. If he had only started thinking about it a week or two ago, he could have it wrapped and under the tree!
Ok, enough of my whining. I am going to go find something to nibble on. I feel decidedly munchy. Perhaps I will eat some bleu cheese and triscuits...
Hope everyone is doing well!
HEART: That trip sounds like a dream come true for a kid! I hope you all have a fabulous time!
Merry Christmas everyone. This year my DH and I are staying home. Today I'm making my cheesecake for tomorrow. And we thought we'd change things around and have mexican food for Christmas. I made a pork roast into burrito meat so all I have to do tomorrow is put it in the crockpot on low. I'll also be making beans and rice too. Tonight we have snacks for dinner. Buffalo wings, shrimp, crab dip etc. We usually drive to the kids in South Carolina. Even though I'll miss seeing the Grandkids on Christmas morning I'm loving our day at home. I just might make those sausage balls... yum... Hope everyone has a good Christmas eve and a very Merry Christmas.......
Checking in... I just made hummus and pita chips to have on hand for healthy snacking. It sure beats the cookies all over the dining room table! I am about to embark on another baking spree...and make chocolate pecan pie, and a chocolate cheesecake. Then tomorrow night, I will come home and make a flourless chocolate cake for Tom's birthday Sunday. He requested beef Wellington, so I got the stuff to make that and asparagus with hollandaise sauce. Come Monday, I am going to crash! Oh, and I made a triple batch of sausage balls and froze them, so we are at least ready for Christmas morning!
Hope everyone is doing well! It sure has been slow on here....I can't wait to get past the New Year and hear how everyone is doing!
Just got home from my Nephews....what a haul!!!
6quart crock pot (RIVAL) complete with a "[i]Little Dipper") UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE fOSSIL WATCH
Zip Up sweater
Pair of mules
Complete DVD collection of NORTH and the SOUTH (one of my favorites)
Travel coffee mug
Lots of pictures of JAY (my great nephew)
Polo Shirt
$200 from my Brother AND YESTERDAY...MY BROTHER BOUGHT ME A NEW CAR!!!! 2005 SONATA!!!!!
Hope everyone has a great Christmas with their family!!!!!
Wanted to drop in & wish all of you a wonderful day tomorrow with as little temptation as possible. LOL My family is all gathering at my house for Christmas dinner, so I've been cooking & making preparations all day. Finally finished wrapping gifts a little while ago & hoping to get to bed soon, but didn't want the day to go by without posting a hello.
I hardly slept a wink last night...guess I was listening for Santa! We are packing stuff up and heading out to Ruth's as soon as we can get off. Tom is so slow though...sigh.
Just wanted to check in to wish every one a wonderful day. I'm the cook to-day - all my family will be arriving very soon. It's been a few years since I cooked the turkey so hoping it turns out o.k. I just had some French toast for brunch made with whole wheat bread of course with a little agave and freshly made cranberry sauce. Had nothing else to eat yet to-day - waiting for the gang to arrive then I can snack on some shrimp and dip and some terra chips.
Good luck to you all with your eating to-day. Have fun but don't overdo it but remember the wagon will be waiting for us all next week.
Wiw
Oh, and I made a triple batch of sausage balls and froze them, so we are at least ready for Christmas morning! 
