week of eating

This was a week of eating.....work Christmas party, department potluck, a signing event (with food), and birthday lunch for one of my staff members.  It was a small piece of this whole season which seems to always have decadent food around.....I am not an expert by any means, but I finally succeeded in making a few better choices this time around.

I used a lesson I learned from my friend Delena -- save your calories for the homemade treats (example: some store bought goodies looked delicious but I skipped them in favor of some homemade items - rum cake and banana pudding).

I also did NOT get seconds on the main meal even though I'd skipped over many dishes.

I just walked away from the food at the signing event - I went to support my school, not have more snacks I don't really need or want.

Bake for a group - the potluck was the perfect excuse to make my husband's favorite cookie - chocolate crinkles, and they turned out pretty well!    I prepped the dough Monday, baked them Tuesday and brought half to my work and sent half to work with him...all the fun of making them (they made the whole house smell delicious) and not having them around to tempt me for days and days.  How my mother-in-law makes them each year and doesn't eat a bunch I will never know (she is tiny!)

I also got a smaller meal for the birthday lunch, and walked back to the office (instead of taking the train).   The birthday girl wanted Southern food, and while the dishes all sounded really good -- fried chicken sandwich and fries....I chose the smaller brisket tacos, still a splurge, but not as nap-inducingly heavy.

I definitely associate certain foods with the holidays, and I don't want to deny myself, but have to make better choices.....it comes once a year, but I also realize that if I don't have something I won't really miss it...though I definitely break my own rules - work party chocolate fountain is exhibit A.....

However you celebrate the holidays, enjoy and savor it!!

first crochet project

I tied off my first crochet project last night (picture below).  It is pretty small, fits on my hand and isn't anything recognizable, but its how I've been learning a basic stitch (single crochet).  Its lopsided since at least a couple of times I lost a stitch, but I'm learning!

Kevin has high hopes, and has already said he wants a beanie.....I just want to make something recognizable.

December

I've been pretty terrible at keeping up with this blog, and I don't think I'll get much better...but will still check in from time to time.

This year has flown by, and I must admit I'll be glad to see 2016 come to an end....

What's going on with us:

• Kevin is wrapping up his semester

• I am counting down the days until Christmas holidays from work, and also looking at my ever growing to do list

• struggling with Christmas gift list for everyone on our list (nothing new), I am glad we decided amongst the siblings to not exchange gifts, it usually became just a swap gift card exercise, so its just the kids and parents on both sides to shop for

• I am watching youtube videos like crazy as I attempt to teach myself to crochet -- some of the videos are pretty funny without meaning to be...best so far, oh my cat is in the mini-blinds.     If I get to a point where I can work on a project, I will post pictures...right now its trying to get the hang of the simplest of the stitches

• getting ready for our trip (we need to be working more on this one)  - I've finally admitted we just have to plan our trips to align with the school year since K teaches and we're going to take advantage of the time we both get off from work and fly to Las Vegas!   K has never been, and I only went as a kid so its basically the first time for both of us to go.    Since our summer trip was a rental house where we still cooked, I'm really looking forward to staying at a hotel, eating out, and seeing some shows (Cirque and a comedy show are booked)

photo memories

I am such a sucker for all the memories that little bots show me what I was doing this day in previous years -- timehop, facebook, and google photos.    Many of my written posts are pretty cryptic, but the photos tell the story better than anything (note to self: take more photos).

I'd forgotten about the snow we had in early December in 2009, it started snowing when I was at work...   This year's weather is a lot of rain, but finally getting cold!

I love my little walks down memory lane, and as I've gotten older I finally understand how when I'd ask my mom when we did something she'd be like, well we lived here...had this car...etc.    I didn't understand it when I was younger, but now that I have the points in time in my own life, I get it.

I also need to find that "Santa Paws" flag, so cute!

I know I shouldn't wish for snow, it will shut this city down....but I really really do love a white Christmas!