Weekend Review: 13 Days Until Christmas.

   Well, it's 13 days till Christmas, are you panicked yet? I hope not. Is your shopping done yet? I hope you have a least a big dent in it.  How about the baking? Done yet and all in the freezer? Now don't panic, you still have time to get it all done.  

   Part of the Holiday Joy this time of year are all the parties. There is the office party, the spouse's office party, the Church party, the neighborhood party. If you have children, there is the class party, the after school party, the after school activity party and the family party.  WOW can you add more to that list? I bet some of you can. And that is only Christmas, let's not talk about the New Year's Parties! That is a lot of parties and a lot of food.  No wonder so many people gain the Holiday 10 and why so many start the new Diet January 2nd.  Not to worry, there are some things you can do to help your self from feeling all the guilt of the Holiday 10.

1. Start every event with a prayer.  Having a little talk with God and knowing He is looking out for you is a good way to remember why we are celebrating Christmas.

2. Ask if you can bring something and then bring something that you can eat. Are you on a low fat lifestyle, then bring fruit or a  low fat dessert. Are you living a low carb lifestyle, then bring cheese and sliced turkey breast.  Are you a diabetic, dig out that diabetic cook book and makes something wonderful out of it. By bringing something you can eat, you are not as tempted to eat a lot of the other things you see on the table. 

3. Eat something before you leave for the party. You will not be as hungry.

4. Drink a large glass of water. You will feel fuller and feeling fuller is better for you.

5. If the food is all lined up in the dinning room, hang out in the kitchen. Why be in there getting tempted?

6. The reason for the get together is to enjoy each other's company. People make the party, don't let the food make the party.

7. Have something in your hands like a cup of coffee. It's hard to put it down in order to pick up those treats that are all over the place.

8. Walk around the food table and look at it all (no calories or fat or sugar in looking) then decide what is the best thing for you and put those things on your plate (a small plate). There will be no room for the other tempting things.

9. Parties are suppose to be fun, see that Chocolate Lava Cake that is calling you....have a small piece. Smile, it's  Christmas time and you are making good choices.

10. Go for a walk, ride the bike, jump on the abs swing,  learn yoga, dance to the Wii. MOVE, it will help you burn off those extra calories, carbs, sugar and it will remind you that you are living a life style choice and not a diet. 

Before you know it, the parties are all over and you got to enjoy the season, enjoy the people, enjoy the food and enjoy life. 

Battle of the Holiday 10!

Yesterday it was 63 degrees and this morning it was 34!  Boy am I grateful that Hubby got the pellet stove going last night because the house was nice and toasty this morning. It got me in the mood to bake this morning. Do you gain the Holiday 10 every year? I use to but since I went low carb, I have options that allow me to enjoy sweets without gaining the Holiday 10.  Although it means I have to cook them - nothing from the local Dunkin Donuts (Rats).

Banana and Coconut muffins
2 cups Carbquick
2 eggs
3 Tablespoons Splenda
2 Tablespoons oil
2 Tablespoons butter softened
1 mashed banana (or banana flavoring)
1 1/2 teaspoon coconut flavoring

Mix all very well and put into a buttered muffin pan (regular size or better yet a mini muffin pan)  Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 13 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean.

Total carbs is 2.5 each for the regular or mini muffin
I don't count fat or calories so I didn't figure that out.

So how are doing with your holiday baking and your holiday eating? I'm going to put together some tips on how to survive the Holidays and not feel guilty or deprived for next week.

Wednesday Hodgepodge: So glad to have these questions.

Thank you Joyce for this weeks questions, I was blank about what to blog about.  

1. Will you be hosting any house guests between now and the end of December? Does that thought make you happy or crazy? Do you do anything special for your guests to make them feel at home? How long should a house guest stay?

No we are  not having house guest this year and that is OK. I love having people over so it makes me very happy. I love to have a basket of all sort of goodies that they may have forgotten like hand lotion, shampoo, tooth paste and so on. I think after 2 weeks they should go.

2. Walter Elias Disney was born this week (December 5) back in 1905 ...what's your all time favorite Disney movie? Here's a list in case you're struggling...and yes, you have to pick one.

Cinderella. I always wanted a fair God Mother to show up and make everything wonderful and make me beautiful.  She never showed up but I'm still looking.

3. What was the last thing you purchased that you realized was a mistake after the fact?

I can not think of anything but since Joyce came up with the question, I bet she did this, and she will have a great story about it!

4. What percentage of your Christmas shopping is done online?

I've been getting my shopping done over several weeks so I've not done much on line at all.

5. Amaryllis-snowdrop-poinsettia...your favorite winter blossom?

Snowdrops are sure pretty. I want to plant some of these. I had to look them up and so I don't have any but these are unique. They are my new favorite.

6. What is one thing on your personal Christmas wish list? I think we all want peace on earth so let's make this answer an actual item.

First off, let me say that I have my gift. His name is August and I am very happy with that. I will be taking pictures of him and caring for him and I am happy.  He is an "actual item". Now Joyce said I had to pick something and since I can not say peach on earth how about this for my iPad. A Flexible keypad for my iPad.

7. If you could only use one word today what would it be?

Tired.  We have a 3 month old puppy who most of the time has to go potty at 3 am and the although he goes back to sleep, I can not.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Poor little guy sure does look funny wet

But he sure is fluffy after!  I like the after.

Weekend Review: Man, They Go By Fast!

A Christmas Coat for August given to him by  Diane and Angie 

How was your weekend?  Did you do some Christmas shopping, or maybe some decorating, or maybe you spent the weekend baking?  It always amazes me how fast it goes by and before I know it, it's Monday again. Friday night we finished taking down all the fall decorations and getting up the Christmas ones that we are putting up this year. We are scaling back a lot to accommodate the puppy.

Fall was all over the table.

Now, it's nice and clean and looks more inviting. 

 I spent Saturday doing all the usual stuff, cleaning, grocery shopping, you know, all the stuff you all did as well.  I also worked a bit on our front yard. The leaves still have not been raked and so I started to put a dent in it. I hope to have it done before we get snow.  We have rain coming Tuesday.

Sunday, we had a great worship service in the morning, grand kids in the afternoon and a great small group study at night. In between I made a play coat for August. He is growing so fast that it doesn't a lot of sense to keep buying him new coats. So I made one while he played on the floor next to me.

 Oh, I did have one thing happen to me, I took the dogs out early Saturday morning and while they were out there I head a Coyote!  It was really, really close to so I ran down the stairs with a flashlight! Now there's protection for you!  I guess I thought that if I flashed the light in the eyes of the coyote that I could   scare it off and get the dogs back inside. Not a great plan mind you as I thought about it later.  As it turned out, I was able to scoop August up and Becke and I ran up the stairs and back into the house.  It was not in our yard, it was on the other side of the fence. Still the sound of a coyote is very unnerving and I hope I don't hear one that close to me ever again!  

See just a normal weekend around here. So how was your weekend?

Reaching Towards Heaven in 2011: Lessons Learned from a Puppy

As you all know by now, back on November 6 we picked up our little: Naturals All in the Music, August Rush (That's his full name) a Powder Puff Chinese Crested now 5 pounds. He is now 3 months old and we have been reminded of a few things here in puppy land. A few things I think we can all learn from a puppy.

August cannot get up on the couch yet and so he uses the stairs that were so sweetly given to him by Angela and Diane. He tries to jump on the couch like his big sister does but at some point he gives up and walks over to the stairs and walks up them.

Like him, sometimes we need a little help to accomplish things. It's OK to take the help. The form of help may be different forms such as getting yard work done that we cannot do ourselves, or using a cane to get around because we hurt, or even accepting help to watch the kids or get your house clean. It's OK to receive help.

August plays with everything! Toys, bedspreads, left shoes (don't understand why only left shoes but whatever), coasters, throw rugs, and remotes. It's our job to let him know what is OK and safe for him to play with. We cover up the cords to the tv, and computers, not because we are mean but because we love him. We do not want him to get hurt (or worse). At times we block off rooms to keep him within eye sight. In return August trusts us and doesn't ask us "Why?". He just picks up another toy and moves on.

Like August, we try lots of things, some good; better choices of foods we eat or exercises. Some not so good; over use of medications or alcohol. God doesn't give us rules to make our lives harder, but to make them easier. Yet how often do we ask "Why?". Maybe we should take a cue from August and just move on, knowing that God has our best interests in mind.

August has two speeds right now, on and off! When he's on he's running after said toys, left shoes and so on and when he is off he is sleeping. I've not seen a puppy go from running down the hall like a bunny to getting on the couch next to me and falling asleep so fast. It's the cutest thing I've ever seen.  He understands that his body needs rest and he takes it.  He feels safe, warm, and cared for, without a worry in the world and so he sleeps. 

Can we sleep? Some stay up nights worrying about bills, Christmas, car problems, health issues, whatever. We have a God who loves us and takes care of us, but do we believe it, or better yet, do we trust it? Or do we stay up asking "Why?"

And from Becke, the wonder dog there are lessons to learn as well. She looks out for her little brother and watches over him a lot. She has kept him from going down the stairs because he was "face planting" a lot and she didn't want him to get hurt. She also sits with him in the hall while I'm cooking, showing him to stay away from the stove and stay safe.  

Do we look out for others who may need us, even if they don't ask for it?  Do we intervene on behalf of others? Do we help the helpless and watch over those who cannot watch over themselves?  

Becke always stays close to us. In fact I have turned around more than once and tripped over her. She feels safe when with us so she stays close. We rarely ask "Where is Becke?" We can see her. She wants to be with us and is not all that comfortable away from us.  She knows that all good things comes from us and that we care for her.

I wonder if God turns around, will he trip over me? Am I that close to Him? I know that He cares for me, I know all good things come from Him, so why am I not standing so close that He trips over me or does He have to ask "Where is LynnMarie?"

All good lessons, All learned from dogs. They are great teachers, aren't they?