What's on your Saturday menu?

Good Saturday mornin y'all!

I didn't get to cleaning yesterday so that's my plans for today. Yay. LOL.

There is major drama in my SIL's family...namely between her and her mother. Her mom doesn't like my brother and has even told us she thinks they should divorce. She has said this to Jess too. She has a might big set of you know what. She is very bossy with Jess and I think my SIL finally has had it. At the orchestra concerts for my nieces it was very strained. Rachel wouldn't hug Jess's mom but made a point to hug us and Jess. Jess wouldn't sit near her mother either. At Riley's concert Jess's mom bolted before Riley came and played us a song...it hurt Riley's feeling. I personally have no use for the woman. She is judgmental when she has no room to talk. Her other two kids have had multiple DUIs and so has she. Jess is the only one who hasn't. My brother doesn't drink...at all and they made fun of him for it. My brother isn't perfect but he is by far a better person than they are. It sucks for the kids...so much so. I absolutely hate that it's going down like it is.

Sorry for the spill but I needed to talk about it with someone!

No big plans for the day other than cleaning. I'll likely mop and do a deep clean of the bathroom. I need to was my bedding too. I'm in a lot of pain so it's going to be a long day.

QOTD: What is your plan for food on Christmas? Do you do a special breakfast? Or another meal?

We are doing Italian food this year. I'm going to make baked ziti Alfredo and my mom got a frozen lasagna. I was willing to make my own but she insisted. I'm not upset by not having to make it...LOL. The kids usually don't like the red sauces so there is no point in spending a lot of time on it. I might get some raviolis from Sam's club. That's a big maybe. For breakfast my mom wants cinnamon rolls. I was willing to make them from scratch but my mom wants to try the Rhodes cinnamon rolls that are frozen. We'll see!

B: chicken and coffee x 2

L: ????

Mornin', Weekenders!

family things like this are no fun. My MIL never liked me, either. I think she wanted DH to marry some traditional woman and live in some white picket fence neighborhood. I thought for awhile that she finally approved of me, but it turns out no, she still doesn't. I wish DH would quit telling me these things. It's hurtful and it makes it uncomfortable for me to be around her. She's nice to my face but evidently badmouths me when I'm not around. Just like Jess' mother, it's cruel and none of her damn business - Jess' mom has no right to tell Jess that she should get divorced. So anyway - yea, I can relate.

I have two cookie parties to go to today. I was going to be really good this week and stick to my plan so I could afford to indulge a little today, but I blew it yesterday. I ate the raw cookie dough that was left in the mixing bowl and the beaters (i.e, right before washing them), ate several of the broken cookies once they were out of the oven, and then ate some of the "overflow" cookies that I kept aside for DH and me. Feeling like a blob this morning - and facing two parties today with yet MORE cookies. The next few days had better be good for me eating-wise!

QOTD: we've been making lasagna for Christmas the last few years (well, I'VE been making it, that is), so we'll do it again this year. MIL is now on a low-sodium diet, so I'll make my own ricotta/cottage cheese, make the marina sauce low-sodium (throwing in some jarred sun-dried tomatoes helps - they intensify the flavor), and use less mozzarella than usual. I used to use provolone, too, sometimes, but I won't this year - it has quite a bit of salt in it. And no sausage this year - I'll make it all spinach. I don't know what I'll do for salad. I usually make a caesar salad, but between the anchovies and the parmesan, that's a lotta sodium. I'll have to come up with something else. Probably just ice cream and Christmas cookies for dessert (if I can keep my hands out of them this week!). Now that my sister no longer lives here and the moms don't cook, I don't want to be stuck making too many things. Lasagna and salad are enough.

I don't know what I'll be eating today given these cookie parties - but I need to really monitor my protein so that I get it all in. So maybe:

coffee with half & half (already had)

plain skyr with cranberry sauce

Ratio yogurt

protein shake

maybe more yogurt or a protein shake?

hopefully there will be more than just cookies at these cookie parties. Maybe the hosts will have something like raw veggies and/or cheese? (the latter not being all that healthy - but at least it's something with protein - and without sugar!)

anyway, have a great day, everyone!

Good morning Mel! Sad for your nieces and nephew if they are close to the other grandmother but good for your SIL maybe putting in some boundaries. Did she stick with the mental health help after the hoarding intervention? Maybe that's helping her with everything.

I am sitting in the reading room illuminated by the christmas tree lights and happy to be home, drinking my own coffee.

I got home yesterday from the airport 44 minutes from when I walked off the plane and that included picking up luggage that I had to check at the gate. I had 45 minutes to do it between rounds of meetings! I won the day....I didn't even have time to take my coat off until after 3 meetings, but I sill won the day (and the house was cold so the coat was cozy). Then I ran a couple errands came home and went to bed for a few hours. Up at midnight for an hour, then back to sleep for 4 and now I'm awake and refreshed.

I do have a chill day planned, a little grocery shopping, a pedicure at 10 and I am one behind on the Doctor Who specials so I need to watch that so I can go on the internet again. I've been avoiding spoilers for a week.

All my Secret Santa gifts were waiting for me when I got home and I feel very spoiled!

QOTD - no, I go to a friends house for christmas dinner and she is very precise. My role is to help as instructed, take coffee orders after the meal and very occasionally she'll ask me to bring a specific thing if she needs it - like one year I had to get a specific small vegan blackout cake for one of the teens.

menu today is

coffee plus half and half

yogurt

bunless burger with cheese and pickles

have a great saturday, everyone!

Good morning ~ And what a great morning it is!! Last night I was tired and nodding off, but not able to let go as every little noise kept startling me awake. Sound like I am back to my old self - no nap for you. Yesterday was very nice day. I received my Secret Santa gift!! I felt so honored and I absolutely love them!! Thank you so much SS!!

Today after walking the dogs, we have things to do... The garage is being overtaken by cardboard and the house needs a once over. I have errands to run, but first I need to review all the gifts I have and see if there is anything else I need. Probably start wrapping. I need gift cards and to make/bake for staff and work peeps, but I'll do that tomorrow. I can't believe Christmas is almost here.

QOTD - We usually have cinnamon and chocolate Babka for breakfast and Prime Rib for dinner with family.

Accountability - Great - 191.0 y'all!!!!

B- coffee x 4

l - grilled chicken w/buffalo sauce and dill pickles

d - Chinese take out - egg foo young and broccoli beef.

s - beef jerky

855/83 best guess, but I'm probably way underreporting for the Chinese food so extra lean lunch and snack

e - walk the dogs

v/w reminders on repeat

Have a great day!!

Eee! 191! You're doing great!

Sorry for the family drama Mel.

QOTD- They want turkey since they stocked up at Thanksgiving when turkeys were $.60 per pound. I told them I'd look up some complimentary sides. We don't eat brekkie on holidays and just wait for the main food. I eat yogurt or a protein bar since I can't just stuff down a whole day of protein at once.

I got up at 6:30 to a very indignant pup jumping on my ribcage because I hadn't fed him yet. I can't think of a better way to wake up than getting those puppy kisses where he crawls up my chest and slobbers on me.

Anyway. I loaded up the car with dogs and got my tired rotated and balanced. It's free for the life of the tires if I schedule with them. Then hauled everyone to the pet store and got their nails done then thoroughly washed and kinda dried the doggos. I'm so appreciative that the fluff is in someone else's wet room. Since there was time and I didn't want to drive home and back, I got a pot of tea from a local new shop to support them. They're nice...don't think they'll make it. Sad.

Now I'm at the dealership getting my oil changed. Woo! I'll take the dogs home and make at least two pans of fudge per request. I'll have to pack and ship it soon. Would like to make a fancy lasagna tonight as I'm in the mood for something Italianish. Have some good San Marzano tomatoes and parm rinds...the possibilities!

Need to do all the standard cleaning and laundry but it's been a productive day so far! Need to go by the store after offloading the dogs.

Menu - roasted oolong tea...bologna and cheese rolls, yogurt...protein pudding maybe?

Accountability- Forgot that yesterday's team thing included lunch. We went to a place that specializes in delicious, enormous, fluffy biscuits. I ate half of one with apple butter and the rest of the meal was on point. Scrambled eggs with sausage and cheese and such.

Cheers!