My biggest dilemma is that I have to take medicine in the morning. I don't want to eat until around 11 am because I like to have a late night snack of 100 calorie pack of cocoa dusted almonds. I've been putting off taking my medicine but the one I can't put off is an anti biotic.

I guess I can share this ,lol. I have to take an antibiotic before have sex or I will get a UTI.I have to take it with food.

I guess half of a Greek Yogurt would be 50 calories. I need to look up string cheese and baby bell light.

How about you? Is the 5:2 plan working with your life? I also don't like working out with my trainer on an empty stomach.

Will this not work if you have 11 hours in between instead of 12? There must be some reason you have to have 12 hours off.

laura the food looks fantastic!

Everyone have a good Christmas.

This year I have totally decided that I officially hate Christmas.....

It is so much work, so much food, so much of blah's.......Bah Humbug......

I can't wait for this to be over...... It really helps to have a good support group right now...

Oh well, today is almost over and my son has a rib roast in the oven.....

My son and daughter in-law coming over and I haven't seen him since he got out of jail....scary!

I know thing will work out, I just don't want to deal with it......

Oh well.....have a wonderful night my fellow misfits......

Merry Christmas!!!

I have hated Christmas for years. I thought having grand babies would make me like it again. For years now, I have thought of it as nothing but work and stress. I love it when I find someone who agrees with me.

laura the food looks fantastic!

Everyone have a good Christmas.

This year I have totally decided that I officially hate Christmas.....

It is so much work, so much food, so much of blah's.......Bah Humbug......

I can't wait for this to be over...... It really helps to have a good support group right now...

Oh well, today is almost over and my son has a rib roast in the oven.....

My son and daughter in-law coming over and I haven't seen him since he got out of jail....scary!

I know thing will work out, I just don't want to deal with it......

Oh well.....have a wonderful night my fellow misfits......

It's just way too much mess and fuss.

Christmas should be scaled way back so that it's not something that stresses people out and sends others to the poor house. Then there are all those people who can't afford to buy anything and I have a really hard time

knowing there are children who don't get Christmas presents.

Edited December 27, 201312 yr by Oregondaisy

We used to have family christmas parties where there were 20 people over (first at my moms moms, then at my parents house) where the christmas presents actually covered half the tree in a giant pile. At the time I was more concerned with which ones had my name on them than anything else, but later on realized what excess it all was. The food was over flowing... and the women , mostly one or two of them, made that part all happen...as well as buying and wrapping all the gifts... the men mostly paid for it all I'm sure. We do an extremely scaled down version now... for the kids more than anyone, and its interesting to see who it is that is picking up the mantel... this year my nephew did most of the cooking with a few offerings from other family members. The kids had a blast, and did not feel like they had to have presents up to there heads. It was fun just making the day about family. We stuck around and talked with my nephew and that really was the best part of the day. Craig and I too the dog for a walk by the river afterwards, he just got a new camera, and we did a little nature walk photo shoot. ...here is as picture of him taking a pic of lil'Sukie are old yorky girl the night before....

Have a nice day all!

First off- Merry Christmas to all! I agree it seems to get more and more hectic. We did have a great day yesterday and this morning with my daughter and two Grands opening gifts and lazing around for a couple hours. They have moved on now to their next stop and I just vacuumed and picked up. So it's just me and the hubs. Quiet and peaceful. Strangely, I don't feel very peaceful. . The family dynamic shifted for us this year. My family is very small anyway and both kids somewhat doing their own thing which is what is SUPPPOSED to happen but... I think the realization has kinda settled on me that I am NOW at that stage in life where we are not the focal so much. Does that make sense? Now, I have to redefine ME and what I want to be, accomplish, live. And it's always been somewhat through children, grandchildren. Anyway, we shall see. Not depressed. Don't want to give that impression. Just more reflective than anything and aware that I will have choices and lifestyle changes ahead.

Thankfully, there is not a huge amount of food around. A little cake left and somehow bars and Hawaiian Rolls Sandwiches. (I LOVE them!). So far so good and back on track this week!

Love you all!!

Yes Merry Christmas Misfits! It is the end of Christmas day here no; its been - well weird. Hubby was working afters yesterday and today and his absence really has impacted on the day - we always have the day just the four of us, and the dog, so it is weird not having him here.

We opened presents when we got up and Betty did most of the dinner and a good job too! We had beef and a range of veggies cos that is what the four of us prefer.

There seems to be a trend over here of Christmas jumpers... do you have it too? Well, here's mine with matching slippers...lol!

You look like Santas helper miss Cooper! I am seeing a revival of Christmas Sweaters here too... almost bought one, but didn't, maybe next year!

Lol coops,

the face on that deer looks like me when I stepped on the scale today!!!

I'm going to chalk it off to salty pork dumplings yesterday

I'm thinking if all of you today. I know this has been a rough holiday season for some of us..

But we did it! It's Christmas night and whatever will be will be. And in a few days we will start a new year and that new year will be full of wonderful possibilities!

And no... I haven't been drinking

Yes Merry Christmas Misfits! It is the end of Christmas day here no; its been - well weird. Hubby was working afters yesterday and today and his absence really has impacted on the day - we always have the day just the four of us, and the dog, so it is weird not having him here. We opened presents when we got up and Betty did most of the dinner and a good job too! We had beef and a range of veggies cos that is what the four of us prefer. There seems to be a trend over here of Christmas jumpers... do you have it too? Well, here's mine with matching slippers...lol!

Love it! LOL

Skiing was fun!

Kim - are yorkies yappers? I want to get a therapy dog and a yorkie or a king charles or frenchie are my top picks. If I was going to be in a house with a yard I would get my real top pick of a big sporting breed.

Georgia - Those are some important reflections, and wonderfully healthy for you to be aware of your changing role.

Coops - Oh man, I needed that roar of laughter your pic gave me! I mean I was smiling and chuckling until I scrolled down and saw the matching slippers, that's when I just lost it! The look on the Rudolph's face .... I do believe there is a Christmas Sweater competition in the States, maybe in New York or Chicago, where they compete for most inventive/ugliest/bizarrest, etc.

I was able to Skype with my Mom and cousins and several friends for Christmas which was lovely, I gave myself the day off from Insanity and ate turkey, ham, beef, sweet potato, gravy, cranberries, and a few bites of a caramel apple with nuts. I went to a church service and they sang carols, on O Holy Night, I could feel the emotion coming and when they got to the refrain "fall on your knees.. oh hear, the angel voices" I just lost it, my throat closed up and I wept.

I'm going to fast today even though it is an eating day and I did Insanity, and I'm not going to weigh myself until after my usual fasting time of the weekend.

Merry Christmas everyone, I hope you were filled with love and togetherness.

Coops, love the pulley and matching slippers too, you have got the look.

Globe I'm so glad you had a good day, I was concerned about you being on your own. It's good that you were able to connect with family. I know what you mean when emotions surface and it can be anything that sets it off. We have a crib set that is put out each year ( had it about 25 years) and baby Jesus is only put out on Christmas night - usually the last job I do before bed. I get quite emotional as I put the baby in the manger as I am usually reflecting on the year and giving thanks for all the blessings in my life. As a side, on Christmas morning everyone must visit the crib and see the 'baby', it is usually our first greeting to each other "happy Christmas, have you seen the 'baby'"?when the boys were young we used to assemble around the crib and sing Happy Birthday to the 'baby'. At 20 and 26 I think they are a bit old for that.

Georgia, I like the insight of your post I too can see my role changing, the boys don't have partners yet but as and when that happens I imagine that the mum role diminishes a bit (though we will always be mum) as their life evolves around their own circumstances. I suppose we just need to look forward and decide what other 'role' we want to invite into our lives be it artist, musician, friend, befriended etc.

LV I know you have said this might not be your best/ happiest season, glad you survived.

The only naughty things in the house now are alcohol and chocolates, the alcohol I can leave but the chocolates are shouting out to me. I will have to encourage those men here to eat up.

Got a piece of gammon on, boiling away nicely for dinner tonight and we are all off to the cinema in a couple of hours. The vote was anchorman 2 which sounds really daft but I will enjoy us all being together.

Enjoy your day everyone.

Good morning ladies. Interesting this too was my year for reflection. Things are changing at 57 I am starting to see changes in the family dynamic. In past years we would travel around to all my Moms sisters houses exchanging gifts,cards and hugs with family. This year mom is too weak to do all that. She's uses a walker and its really difficult for her to get in and out of the car and up and down steps. So we stayed at my house and sadly none of her sisters or their families stopped by to see her. She says she didn't care but it sorta pissed me off a bit. Oh well my crew was still here we enjoyed each other, ate and played games. One of my favorite gifts chocolate covered potatoe chips. I LOVE sweet and salty. They were delicious. Cathy I really love the baby Jesus tradition. That touched my heart. Globe so glad u were able to connect with family. Let the feeling flow. I agree sometimes it comes to the surface and u gotta go with it. CGJane glad u enjoyed skiing. I have only done it twice in my life back in college but skiing is fun. I seem to remember having the hardest time getting off the lift. Then there is the stopping. The first time down I was going straight instead of a zig zag motion and was going fast all I heard were people yelling at. Me to fall down. I did. And that was my method to stop till I got the hang of it. Then it was fun. Also great pic in the Sweater and slippers. I took a pic of me in front of our tree. When I saw it I decided I was too fat to post it. I took several different angles but same fat butt followed me on all the angles. Hubby loves it and I love me so. Maybe pics later in the year. Enjoy the day ladies!

Kim - are yorkies yappers? I want to get a therapy dog and a yorkie or a king charles or frenchie are my top picks. If I was going to be in a house with a yard I would get my real top pick of a big sporting breed.

Yorkies will yap if you let them, they want to be the center of attention. Sukie (baba and the 40 fleas) was a rescue, we found her running in traffic! A little bigger in size than some... 9 1/2 pounds. (the tiny ones scare the shite out of me... worried I will step or sit on them) Yorkies are sporty dogs, bred to hunt and fight rats... Sukie loved to go hiking, and running with our bike rides... she is an old grannie now and goes on tamer adventures where we can carry her if she poops out. She barks more now, she is deaf and partly blind and Im not sure if she can hear herself... We don't care, shes our little girl. She has definitely been a therapy dog for me! (not official, but unofficially) Having her around has slowed our international travel, but we have gone on many road trips with her, motel6 let dogs in for free. And she went to to work with Craig for over 6 years. People would shop there because of her. Big dog in a little body. She trys to kill horses. Shes 15 now.

Edited December 26, 201312 yr by feedyoureye

Good morning everyone. Glad to hear everyone had a good Christmas. We had a very busy day. I got up early with my son and started preparing the turkey, ham and cooking tamales..... I noticed that I am not in the Christmas spirit this year and I see the changes on the walls now. My children are all grown up and next year everyone will be living in his/her own space. Most of us will be in Oregon and my son doesn't want to leave California. There will be big changes that I am looking forward too.

we will still come together as a family on holidays but I and my hubby will enjoy them more.... Hopefully we will have a grand child here....

Typically on holidays we put the turkey in the oven and go to the show. This year there were 7 of us and it was quite expensive. So for now on, we will have better plans and play games and just have some plain old fun.

It has been horrible eating. I gained like 3 lbs and so today it's back to eating protein and cutting out the sugar......yep that sugar just crept back in. I made fudge and it was delicious. My DH stopped and bought some pies from Marie Calendar's and they were very good..... Cheers to the holiday festivities.......