Friday Morning check-in

Good Morning Everyone!

How does the possibility of snow sound to you?  My DH is just like a little boy, so excited.  I grew up in the Poconos and do not relish the idea of the chaos it brings to the roads in our area here in Fayetteville.  Snow I really do not mind it is the ice we usually get with it that ruins the picture for me.

Last night I had a wonderful time listening to the 3rd, 4th, 5th graders of my "adopted" daughter sing their little hearts out in both English and Spanish.  Kaitlyn's school is a school that starts getting the children ready for college from the start, that is why Spanish is included.  When I went to school languages were not introduced until High School, I would think it would be so much easier to learn earlier. 

Believe it or not, I may actually come home from work tonight at a normal hour. There are no planned festivities as of yet.  I would love to be able to have an evening in front of the fireplace and just relax, I would even be willing to get a little laundry done in there.

Work will be hectic today, just like it has been lately.  I have a lot of people out collecting on those last few vacation days to get in some shopping.  So my plan for today is to make wise choices with my food and try and push the water after every cup of coffee.  I believe since I have given my self permission to drink coffee unlimited it has decreased.  Kinda like the forbidden fruit, it is going to taste better when you can't have it.

I hope everyone has a WONDERFUL day!

I too grew up in PA but only went to the Poconos for skiing.   I moved south because I do not like the cold weather.  I should have gone "souther"  heh heh.  It is still too cold here.   I love snow...the first day.  After that it gets icy and yucky.  Both of my boys love to snow board and miss the mountains and snow. 
I still have some shopping to do.  I have to get it done tonight.  Tomorrow I wor****il 1 pm and then we all get together tomorrow night for our family Christmas meal.  This one includes siblings etc,  On actual Christmas everyone stays home and enjoys celebrating with their immediate family.  But, my parents will come for dinner too.  I only have to get my niece a gift and I should be good.  Hmmm what to get a 5 yr old girl when she doesn't play with dolls.  Maybe I will go to Michael's and get some crafty thing. 
I am so excited for the holidays.  My mood is great and I love this time of year.  The neighborhood always has a party.  I didn't go last yr.  It was the night before my surgery and I was just not up for it.  Well, this year my name fell off of the list or something.  I got no invite.  Heck, I don't even know if they had it.  Miss one year and blammo you are out.  I will have to volunteer to host it so I can get back on.  Drats.
Well time to get back to work.  I wish everyone a good weekend.  Enjoy these days leading up to Christmas.  It is like the week before vacation.  It is full of expectation. 

Hi Carrie,

Well, generally, Sarah and I love a dusting of snow, but I'm hoping it doesn't make much of an impact here. We have our monthly support group meeting tomorrow and I'm hoping to gather some unused coats that we've lost out of to donate to the One Warm Coat drive being spearheaded by Burlington Coats. They DONATE them to area charities that GIVE, not sell, the coats to those in need. Since it's so cold, it's a timely gift and of course, we don't ever want to be able to fit into those coats again. That said, we all know how difficult it is to find plus size coats and how expensive they can be, so I hope that we'll collect some that will help others that need those PLUS sizes.

I am behind on my Christmas Cards and even some gifts that have to be shipped out. YIKES!!! I have an appointment with my counselor today and need to run some errands, including a quick run to Trader Joe's. I'm hoping to finish the gifts I need to mail and actually get them and the cards in the mail today. I have gifts to wrap and get under the tree and need to do some baking too. I'm hoping to do that some this weekend. 

I also need to take some new photos of the new puppies to send out... Their little eyes and ears are open and they toddle around like little drunken sailors. They've also started eating 'real' food, but still love to see Mama come by for a snack and snuggles. 

The stress level is still high with Ben's continued unemployment and my mother's health issues. I seem to have a nearly continual stress headache... it ebbs and flows, but seems to linger in the background at best and is nearly debilitating at it's worst. I have been struggling with not eating well lately. I'm working on it, but still struggling... My weight is holding steady, but I know I'm not taking the best care of me and I need to work on setting myself up for success.  I keep reaching for comfort foods and for me that means carbs... I am so much more aware of it now than I was before WLS. I'm working on trying to have high protein things I LOVE around, so that I'll indulge in those when I do 'indulge.' 

Well, I guess I'd better get off the computer and get on my horse and get the day underway.

I hope you have a good day and get to spend some time in front of the fireplace.

Love,

 

(((HUGS))) to all. I'm jealous of the snow forecast - our area hardly sees any and accumulations are rarer still. It would truly be a Christmas Miracle.

There is so much to get done before next Friday. I've decided to just relax and slow down. I have the shopping for the food and the children finished so everything else may or may not get done. This will be my first christmas away from home - I'm almost 43 years old and it's just weird. My youngest is spending the holidays with his girlfriend and her family so that already feels odd. Strange how they grow up almost overnight. Buddy came home from Augusta last night. He'll be home for nearly 3 weeks before his next term starts. He's going with David and me to Charlotte for Christmas. Plus there's David's kids. I love seeing Christmas morning through the eyes of a child. Now if I could just get Serena off of Santa's naughty list. (It's not looking very promising)

Have I told yall that David has kidney stones. OMG!!! I've renamed him the Man-Child. I know it's painful and I'm trying my best to be super supportive but it's getting tougher the whinier he gets. I'll be glad to get him to Charlotte on Wednesday and give him back to his Momma. Something tells me that she won't be doting on him the way he remembers it from the "good ole days". She's so no non-sense I can't wait to spend some more time with her.

Food!!! It's everywhere. Now one of the girls at work has brought everybody scented candles - all food related smells. WHY????? When you want to get a spoon and start eating hot wax - well that becomes a problem. I've always been one to battle the aromas. Food Porn doesn't bother me that much - but oh the smells. I was able to trade off my Sugar cookie candle for one that was Apple Cinnamon but dang. There are chocolate Hazelnut, Ginger Bread, Birthday Cake, Brownie, Peach Cobbler and Cinnamon scented candles in this tiny office this morning. It smells like a bakery. Thankfully today is my day to go do the post office and the bank so it'll get me away from it for at least a little while.

Must Drink more water!!!!! That'll help keep me out of the office and up and moving.

- Iris
 

Iris, I can sympathize with you about the smells.  It may not be candles but our office has been smelling like donuts lately.  We had a H1N1 shot drive in the mornings before the clinic actually opened up.  They bought donuts to the workers.  I was able to resist with out too much difficulties as long as I was not in the same room.  The smells were delicious.  I love the smell of baked goods.  I was baking cookies last night.  It wasn't the cookie dough or the hot cookies, it was the smell as they were baking.  I did have 1.  but only 1.  I was good with that.   My older son Adam is going with his fiance to her father's house for Christmas.  He said that they would stop in on their way home to say Merry Christmas.  It just isn't the same.  but that is what happens I guess. 
Enjoy the holidays.  Take care.

This is our very first Christmas without family. Every year we got together in the afternoon. I hope I can handle it! I still have a few gifts to get. I have no idea what to get. Oh well.
Sandy I guess the root canel went okay.