My Own Personal Biggest Looser

I need to loose weight. Like about 75 pounds. I don't know why, but I lack motivation for exercise and eating right. I am a total junk food junkie and I suppose that I'm addicted to sugar.

I've decided to start small in the hope that I can tolerate the changes.

Goal #1: Give up soda pop. This doesn't sound terribly difficult, but I'm libel to scratch out someone's eyes for a Dr Pepper in about 3 days.

My first 10 pound lost reward will be a new haircut and color.

If I can loose 40 pounds by the 4th of July, I'm going to go spend a night with a friend and go shopping for our family vacation to Florida this summer. (Yes, I know that this is a difficult goal. Isn't it supposed to be?)

I'm Back!!

I've been missing for awhile. We're suffering from too much to do and too little time.

We've been doing a little remodeling project.

Turning this:

Isn't that rose wallpaper awful??

I kid you not, when we were looking at this house our realtor told us that the bathroom had just been remodeled and it was "just georgous!!"

Someday I'll show you a picture of my living room. Lets just say that the previous owner really, REALLY liked rose wallpaper.

I do not.

Into this:

I still need to change the shower curtain.

This is not our finished bathroom. It was just made (in our opinion) liveable with new drywall, texturing and fresh paint. We also (I'm using the term we very loosly) rewired everything including a new ceiling light, bathroom fan and working electrical outlets. I can now plug my blow dryer into an outlet in my bathroom instead of the office. Aren't modern conviences amazing. We only have this one bathroom so the major renovation, complete with a new linen closet, tile shower, jacuzzi tub, new window and tile floor, will be done after we install another bathroom upstairs.

We apparently purchased the money pit.

You know what's better than marrying for money?

Marrying for home improvement skills.

Just Hanging On......

So, so, so sick with the tonsilitis/mononucleosis. I have never been this sick before. Able to swallow liquids now. I guess I started my New Year's diet early. 104 degree temperatures will melt fat off of anything:)

I'm intrigued by the "101 things in 1001 days." I think that I will return to my couch and try to come up with a few things to start mine with.

Family

My nieces and nephew are here tonight while their parents are at a Christmas party. That makes 7 kids 12 and under. The house is amazingly quiet. No yelling or screaming. Boy these cousins REALLY like each other:) It makes me very happy.

Miscellanous Musings

I think that I'm probably going to get kicked out of Holidailies. Do they do that?

I started the Flylady yesterday. So far I think that it's helped:) I also ordered recipe organizing software. Maybe I should start a diet now, too. I hope that I don't crash and burn with both. I have very good intentions.

Tonight is my office Christmas party. I have to go stag. For some reason, this makes me unconfortable. I have worked with some of these people for over 11 years. Eleven years should be enough time to get comfortable. Any shrinks out there want to comment on this?

Satisfying Sundays

I hate when I have to work on the weekend, but for some reason I get more done at home on those weekends than on non-work weekends. Must be that annoying voice in my head that keeps saying, "You have two whole days to get this stuff done. Slow down a little."

Last night I wraped most all of the stack of presents I had to wrap. There are still a few downstairs that are being hidden from little boys eyes and I finished our Christmas cards.

Today I did a lot of laundry, picked up and vacuumed the house, cleaned the bathroom and mopped the mudroom and the kitchen. I also changed our sheets.

I still need to make our bed and fold three!! baskets of laundry. I'm thinking that I'll get one of those 2 things done. 10 points for anyone that can guess which one:)


Tomorrow, it's back to work. I have a lot that I could write about that but I don't want to get "dooced." Highly doubtful that my boss is smart enough to find this site, but miracles do happen. Maybe I should google myself. Nothing there, I should be safe. I work for four men. Three of whom are "partners" although I think it's more of a benevolent dictatorship. I actually like the "dictator" quite a lot. It's one of the others that drives me and most of the others in the office crazy. He is very book smart but has NO people skills and NO common sense. He has no ethics and very little respect for anyone around him. To him it's "all about the money." He routinely gouges clients, employees included, especially if he thinks "they can afford it." He seems to think that he should get to decide how others spend their money, but he's so tight with his own that he's barely buying his kids Christmas presents. My respect level at this point is so low that I can barely be civil. However, the real kicker is that I've worked there longer than him. Our company Christmas party is next week and Craig can't go. I can't decide if it's worth the bother of getting a sitter which is sad considering that I truly enjoy everyone else that works there.

Time to wrangle my boys out of the bath and settle down to watch Frosty the Snowman. Sounds like a good time to me!

Best Ever?

How come when I make recipes that say they are the "best ever" I don't really like them. I made Orange Cranberry Bread and Lemon Blueberry bread tonight. The cranberry bread was really pretty good except that it was rather flat on top. The blueberry bread was OK. All the blueberries fell to the bottom of the pan so I kind of have blueberry upside down bread. Except that is is right side up. It, however, poofed up on top and looks like a loaf of bread. Oh well, at least I get an A for effort.

To Do List 14,783

I feel like I can't function unless I write stuff down.

Take table to A. Sissy
Wrap presents DONE
Make hotel reservations DECIDED NOT TO GO
Call about Religous Ed play SEE ABOVE
Make Cinnamon Rolls
Make cranberry bread DONE
Christmas cards DONE
Take statement to nursing home
Mail boxes DONE
Glue broken ornaments DONE


Christmas presents to buy:
Jeramie DONE
Clark DONE
Uncle Marv DONE
Dad D DONE
Grandma D DONE
Mom D
Chad DONE
Rindy DONE

Breathe

Am I the only idiot out in internetland that can't figure out how to import the Holidailies button. Good grief!!

I feel like December is like an out of control roller coaster ride that just keeps going faster and faster. My aunt and I took my mom Christmas shopping today. I still need to buy my present, Craig's present and K's present from mom. I will take care of that next week when we go on our Christmas shopping/get out of town expedition.

Both older boys (K and A) came home from religous ed. tonight talking about what they're going to be in the play next week. What play??

Forgiven?

I forgot to post yesterday.

I had such good intentions of taking pictures of the apple crumb pie and pecan bourbon pie I made (completely by scratch!!) and posting recipes with pictures and then I forgot. And then I watched the Charlie Brown Christmas special with my boys. And then I did the dishes. And then I went to bed and I never once remembered.

And then I took the pies to work. And then we got really busy. And then I went to lunch. And then I came back to work to find two almost completely eaten pies.

I was only gone for 20 minutes. 20 MINUTES!!!! I guess they were really good!

Blah

I had such lofty ambitions for this weekend. At this point, I'll be happy if I can get the laundry done. Just being lazy, I guess.

I'm very excited to start Christmas baking. Craig thinks that I'm nuts. Out of this family of ours, 1 HATES chocolate and 2 aren't big sweet eaters. That leaves me and middle son (K) to eat it all!! I must give most away to other deserving sugar addicts.

I'm the designated bithday treat bringer at work. I think that everyone should get what they like the best for their birthday treat and Tuesday I will bring treats for one of my best friends. She requested Pecan Pie and Apple Pie. My s-i-l has the best pie crust recipe and I'm going to try it. It contains vinegar and an egg yolk. Flakiest crust ever.

The Stockings Are Hung

The tree is decorated, the stockings are up and the snow globes and the nativity have been liberated from their boxes.

I'm going to bed.

Christmas

I just love Christmas. Not just the day, but the whole season. I always say that I'm going to just sit back and enjoy but stress usually creeps in. I need to bake cookies, decorate the tree, hang outside lights, clean the house, etc.

Tonight my two older boys, A and K, wrote their letters to Santa. Some things they are getting and some they're not, but I don't think that they'll notice.

They were the most wonderful Santa letters ever. I think I could drizzle them with chocolate and pretend they're cookies and no one would notice that either.

Updated Christmas List

Still need to buy for:
Mom D
Dad D
Dad C
Susan
Chad
Rindy
Grandma D
Jeramie (Rachel, Rylie)
Clark x2
Aunt Sissy
Uncle Marv
Rod

Not too bad actually.

Updated To Do:

Balance check book
Call eye Dr.
Boxes for quilts
Call for haircuts
Decorate Christmas tree
Laundry

Thanksgiving x3

My dad's coming over today to celebrate Thanksgiving (for the 3rd time) and to watch the Bronco game.

He said to me Wednesday and I quote, "Don't go to any trouble, lets just order pizza."

I'm embarassed to say that I might take him up on his offer.

Note to Self

Never, ever, ever go to WalMart on Sunday. Ever.

Up Against A Wall

Craig (husband) comes home tomorrow morning. We will pick him up from the airport about 10am.

The house is clean - for a few minutes anyway.

We will be having our "first" Thanksgiving dinner Wednesday at my SIL's. I will probably bring dessert. Maybe cheesecake.

We will be hosting our "second" Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. We've always had it at my grandma's, but she passed away this summer. My family has always trusted me with very important elements of Thanksgiving dinner. Usually I bring the canned green beans - not green bean casserole, mind you, but just cans of green beans. They have always added the cheese sauce and almonds. It's not that they think I'm a bad cook, we are just ruled by "that's how it's always been." Grandma did the turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and gravy. My aunt does the potatos (sweet and mashed), rolls and pies. Nobody messes with the homemade pumpkin pie and homemade whip cream, nobody! I bring the aformentioned green beans and my cousin brings the relish tray. This is never varied, ever.

My assignment this year is the stuffing, gravy, homemade cranberry sauce and green beans. I have to add the cheese sauce all by myself:)

I was going to do the turkey, but my aunt is going to cook it and save the broth so I can use it for the stuffing and gravy. I think she was worried about me doing too much and I thank her.

I'm expecting between 13-16 people. Should be a great time! I better add beer and wine to my shopping list.

My "third" Thanksgiving will be Sunday at my house. But no pressure here our only guest will be my dad and he will eat anything as long as it's not rare, or chicken, or has large chunks of vegetables. I'm thinking that I might try beef brisket. (Pioneer Woman Cooks! recipe).

I should weigh 10 pounds more by the time this is done.

Christmas List

Big Boy (A): bionicle (Santa)
clothes (mom and dad)
telescope (family gift from Santa)
Remote control helicopter (Santa)
Ben 10 game (Santa)
Meet the Robinson's (Santa)
Shrek 3rd (Santa)
pillow case (mom and dad)

Middle Boy (K): transformer (Santa)
clothes (mom and dad)
telescope
Ratatouille (Santa)
Snoopy game (Santa)
Shark Rescue (Santa)
pillow case (mom and dad)

Little Boy (C): Buzz (Santa)
Woody (Santa)
Zurg (Santa)
clothes (mom and dad)
Curious George movie (Santa)
pillow case (mom and dad)

Craig (H): Transformers and clothes?
Aunt Sissy: Harry Potter book?
Uncle Marv: beer?
Secret Santa (drawing hasn't been held, yet):
Mom D:
Richie: pillow case
Grandma D:
Dad D:
Jeramie:
Rachel:
Rylie: pillow case?
Clark:
Chad:
Rindy:
Aubry: pillow case
Mandi: pillow case
Tegan: pillow case
Trenton: pillow case
Brett: NE plaque?
Diane: "?
Jared: pillow case
Nicole: pillow case
Emily: pillow case
Dad C:
Susan:

To Do:

vacuum CHECK
laundry CHECK
finish making beds (mine and middle boy's) CHECK
make banana bread CHECK
make cinnamon roll dough CHECK cinnamon rolls made!
call eye dr for appts.
clean out second fridge CHECK
mop/dust CHECK
pay bills CHECK
balance check book
find boxes for quilts for Christmas
take MP3 player and grass seed back to Wal-Mart CHECK
call gas company
call for haircuts

Shopping list for Thanksgiving:
cranberries
day old bread
celery
onion
green beans
slivered almonds
wine