Determined December

[treegirl]

Merry Christmas Eve, all!

Sounds like everyone is ready for a lovely time, quiet or not. I wish you all the happiness and contentment that can be yours during this busy crazy season - let's all remember to BREATHE!

Quiet here - just the 3 of us, but that's been enough for me to get together! Searching recipes for dinner tomorrow, then will run out and get all the supplies - I'm behind from being away over the weekend. Turkey tenderloin tonight with Mango-something sauce. Tomorrow a 'Coastal' Christmas - hopefully Lobster risotto, sauteed scallops and greens, liguine with pine nuts, etc. ...I'll let you know how it goes!

Sending you all holiday BEST WISHES and sharing the gratitude of being able to experience it all, and this thread, AF. Cheers!

[dill]

Merry Christmas, one and all!

I'm thinking of you all. Enjoy!

[Lavande]

Merry Christmas friends!

Last evening's festivities were wonderful & exhausting!
Great food, gifts & lots of smiles

Cyn, your Coastal Christmas dinner sounds wonderful! I can only dream about something like that, YB is allergic to shellfish, ha ha. I hope you enjoy your day!

Dill, Star & Papmom, enjoy your Christmas day with your families as well!
I will most likely be seeing my son & his family again this afternoon. I have leftover ham & kielbasa, yay.

Have a great AF day everyone!

Lav

[papmom3]

MERRY CHRISTMAS MY DEAR FRIENDS!!
The weather is gorgeous-sunny, warm, a little windy. What a nice change.
Christmas Eve was spent at my sister's in laws. I missed it last year due to the HA. It was nice but they aren't my family even tho my whole family (minus my brother) was there. Lots of great food, presents for the kids and adults on their side-fun to see the kids get excited. Yankee swap. I just don't feel its me. I'd rather go to a service then spend the nite at home watching movies or something. We'll see what next year brings.
I also hit the gym in the afternoon-ran for 13 minutes straight, walked 5, ran 10, 5 min cool down. Big progression for me as I've only been able to run 4min, walk 2 for 30 min. I think 2015 will be the year I run 3 miles straight!!
Also, Mickey had his first accupuncture treatment. It went very well and I'm going to try to do a few more if I can afford it.

Leaving in a few minutes to pick up my dad and head to my sisters. Tenderloin and stuffed shrimp for dinner. Will pass on the tenderloin unless its well done. Dogs are good-no presents for them this year but I brought out the toy box for them to dig through. DD found the smelly bone and chewed on that for about 30 min. He was happy. Mickey was happy just to be out of the crate for a few minutes!!

Enjoy your day with your loved ones! Dill, it is sad but a new beginning for your son/GK. Silver lining right?

Love you guys!!

[SnoopyC]

Good morning and Merry Christmas!!!

Good to hear everyone had a great day. I did too. Now, the after Christmas adjustment.

Have a great day.

[dill]

Yes Star, it's all over but the organizing and straightening! :happy2: Well, there are still more get-togethers thru the holiday period, but things are definitely on the downhill run. I'm glad because I'm feeling like I can breathe!

Pmom, your holiday sounds very nice and filled with family. Did you partake of the tenderloin at your sister's? My prime rib roast took a little longer than I expected which set the activities off a little. We had planned to eat our dinner then open gifts. But dinner was not done and the kids were bursting at the seams, so we went ahead with the gifts first. I think it actually worked out better that way.

Lav, it sounds like your Christmas was really nice, filled with family and good food! This was your first Christmas since Mr. L has returned. I hope he was a help with all the extra fuss.

Cyn, mmm, going Coastal! LOL. How did it turn out? And did you manage to remember to breath every now and then? I was on my feet almost the whole time except during the gift exchange. I was up and down for that because I had to keep checking on the roast.

I got a new kitchen gadget for Christmas: a cuisinart immersable blender. I'm excited to try it! I mentioned a long time ago to Mr. D that I was interested in having one, but I forgot all about it. He didn't!

It's time to gear up for a new year. I wish Chill was still on board with us doing a year end review like she used to. Looks like we're on our own. I'm going to be thinking about this past year, the high's and the lows, and start thinking about the coming year and what I need to focus on. Have a great and peaceful af day everyong.

[Lavande]

Good morning friends!

I've been up since 6 am, thanks to my early rising doggies
I really can't sleep much later anyway.

Dill, you'll love your stick blender, I use mine all the time. You can stick it right into a pot of hot soup, or blend up a nice smoothie for yourself, enjoy!

You mentioned Chill & I should say that I see her on Facebook everyday. It looks like she is doing great & planning the next phase of her life with someone special

Not sure what I'm doing today but I will get myself to Curves first. Feeling guilty about my cookie intake the past few days, ha ha!
Greetings Star, Papmom & Cyn. Have a great AF Friday everyone!

Lav

[papmom3]

Happy Day after Christmas!!
Yes, Dill, i did have a bit of the tenderloin-there were a few well done pieces. It was good with a nice gravy but nothing I would want to eat on a regular basis. The baked stuffed shrimp were very good and there was a mashed potato casserole made with sour cream and cream cheese-forgot to ask if she used non or low fat. Asparagus and sweet potato casserole rounded out the meal.
We always open gifts before dinner and it was nice and low key. I was as generous as I could be this year. I know my niece LOVED her fun Bruins shirt I found online courtesy of a FB ad. My little nephew cleaned up of course!! I gave my family a very pared down list due to the generosity they have shown me this past year. My dad went over board of course with gas cards and a BJs membership and my sister got me a GC to my quilt shop so I wouldn't have to quit taking classes. I have got to find a way this next year to pay it forward all of this support and generosity I've been shown by so many people in the past year.
I see Chill on FB too and she is celebrating 5 years yesterday!! She's engaged and life is just coming up roses for her. I'm so happy for her and how she has used the gift of sobriety over the past 5 years. Its not been without pretty bad downs for her tho and I think we all need to remember that ups wouldn't be ups without the downs. the important thing is to keep plowing through knowing there are blue skies through the gray walls.
Happy to hear everyone's Christmas was good-now to decompress, get organized and greet the New Year head on with hope and love and confidence.
Whooo hooooo! Here we go!!

[SnoopyC]

Good morning...

Just checking in. Glad to hear Chill is doing well, whew, five years for her, that is great.

Dill, I was organizing things yesterday too. Nice to get things done. I too have social obligations, but at times just want to do my own thing.

Pap, I went and worked out yesterday and have an appointment for next week to figure out all the exercise equipment and to create a starting point. I am excited and want to get strong again. This year has been full of changes and tough and I have let myself eat to much and not exercise. Not good. Changes are coming.

Lav, I ate too much of everything and it is very hard to just change it and eat less. I almost feel sick. So little by little.

More company today, my son is coming to visit. So, I'll be busy again. Glad I have the time off. Have a good Saturday everyone.

[dill]

I suppose I talk to often about the sunrises and sunsets, but I'm going to do it again anyway! :happy2: Last evening the sky was a blanket of gray clouds but just at the western horizon there was an openning. The brilliance of the light and colors behind all that gray was awesome and gave me such a feeling of hope! We must take our light where ever we can during this darkest time of the year. I hope you all are finding light in your lives.

I'm thinking I might start an indoor herb garden this week with a grow light if needed. What strategies do you have to help get thru the next 3 months?
Papmom, I know you'll exercise, Star will read (find books set in sunny climates!), Lav will cook, Cyn witll breathe. Anything else?

[dill]

X-post Star! Looks like you'll be exercising too!:happy2:

[treegirl]

Hello Dear Friends -

So glad to hear about everyone's holiday - sounds like the women got the celebration together, as always!!

We also had a good time - SD arrived with dog on Xmas eve; I had gotten the tree up and lit, but not decorated. Since we've never had a tree before, I had put a few ornaments from my past away in a box - SD brought some, and I had gotten a few new ones (all felted birds). So she put herself to work decorating the tree while I cooked. Somehow the mango turkey loins took a long time, so we ate late and missed watching 'Elf', which is a Xmas tradition, oh well!. Christmas Day was opening presents - usually we only do 'stocking' kinds of gifts, and give the rest of the gift money to charity, but somehow we got involved in more elaborate personal gifts this year. It was fun to see SD open all her packages, but I hope we can back off the materialism again next year - I find it crazy to support the for-profit stores at this time of year (except for local artisans...) The Coastal theme for dinner turned out GREAT, and was so easy - gotta love scallops that cook in 5 minutes!

Dill - I love the idea of looking back and then making a forward plan. I'm not as good as Chill at remembering what all went on for people - how about if we each post our last-year overview and looking-forward plans? I think wiritng things down and putting the ideas out there publicly is a good thing...

Speaking of the light, does anyone else feel like the days are noticeably longer already? Maybe it's just that the sun came out on Christmas Day (for the first time in awhile), so I felt it's power, but it seems to me that the light is really returning. I still feel glad to have some more 'nutritive' time left this winter, though - gotta fill up the tank before spring and summer!

Wishing all a happy, hopefully relaxed wind-down day. Yesterday I took HB to the airport for his next 2 1/2 week stint, delivered SD's dog to her house, made a Trader Joe's run (2x a year, since it's so far away), and got home in the evening, exhausted. Today I'll get the (memorial) holiday cards out to my Mom's xmas card list (their shipment was delayed by FedEx!), and finish some other things that have been neglected. I'm finally alone in the house with the dogs, so I can make hay!

Happy day --

[Lavande]

Good morning friends!

Good question Dill - what to do over the next few months?
I usually take this after holiday down-time & get my shop cleaned up & organized. I tend to inadvertently collect 'stuff' in there like catalogs, boxes, junk mail, etc. Starting seeds at some point is on my plan too. I have a good catalog for heirloom organic seeds

Papmom, sounds like you had a good Christmas!
You have an awesome new job to get your new year off right! I am happy for you!

Star, I realized yesterday that I actually did not eat too much food but I did ingest some foods that disagree with me ~ namely dairy. I know better bit I did it anyway, ha ha. I hope you exercise plan makes you feel wonderful. Enjoy your visit with your son.

Dill, I enjoy the sunrises as well & my dogs make sure I am indeed up to witness them every morning!
I get another sunny day today then clouds are rolling in for the next several days, oh well.

Hi there Cyn, what are you up to this weekend?

I have to go pick up my veggies then I don't know after that - we shall see.
Wishing everyone a great AF Saturday!

Lav

[SnoopyC]

Good morning...

Still trying to wake up. Need more coffee.

Lots of running around today. I don't really want to look at my last year in detail, miss my house and hate being cramped in a small apartment. The thought of moving again is to much right now. I have been sleeping alot the last few days, I really need it. Still have not kicked this cold, all the congestion in in my head and I am just plain tired and trying to feel better. It's been a rough year. Sorry to be a downer, but I am hopikng 2015 is better.

Have a great day.

[Lavande]

Good Sunday morning friends,

Well, the sun rose then quickly disappeared behind a bunch of clouds. Yep, rain on the way for a few days, oh well!

Star, you did have a rough year with all the changes in your life. But don't forget that you also had something wonderful happen, you became a first time grandmother
Visit the MindBodyGreen website for a little inspiration, always helps me out of a funky mood. Have you tried any of the herbal tea cold remedy preparations? I don't know how they work but they do make me feel better - self care sort of thing :hug:

Not much going on around here this weekend & that's OK. I'm appreciating the downtime after all the pre-holiday business.
Wishing everyone a good AF Sunday! Hello to Dill, Papmom & Cyn!

Lav