New Year's Eve

Here's my hero. Still safe, still alive. I'm counting the weeks til he comes home. 

Our first date was a New Year's Eve party in 1977.  My then boyfriend was being a flake and I needed a date for a party to which I had already RSVP'd.  My dear friend Paul was the only person I could think of that I could ask to be a place-holder on such short notice.  Thankfully, he didn't have other plans already and he took me to the party.  At midnight we kissed and that was it for me.  I was done, his kiss won me over and I broke up with my idiot boyfriend a couple of days later.  Paul and I didn't officially become an item until March, but we celebrate New Year's Eve as our first date/begin of relationship.

We've now been together for 28 years, and in all those years, this will be only the second New Year's Eve we will spend apart.  Pretty lucky, considering he's a soldier.  I did get a chance to IM with him today though.  He has been at a remote location the last two weeks and has been unable to e-mail.  I wish I could say his time in the remote had been uneventful, but it certainly was not.   An IED claimed the live's of two people he had come to know, as well as injured four other soldiers.  Paul's Apache was dispatched to escort the med-evac helicopter, search for the "trigger" guy, and later, to collect the remains.

My heart goes out to the families and friends of the dead soldiers.  I cannot imagine how incredibly hard it would be to receive this sort of news at any time, but especially during the holidays. 

Tonight my plan is to spend this last Holiday apart with our children, to kiss them and hug them.  I will light candles for the military members that spend this night in harm's way.  I will ask God to watch over them all and to give comfort and peace to their families. 

The merriment of after Christmas

We had rain for Christmas, but it started snowing here on Monday.  It hasn't really stopped since. There is an accumulation of about 3-4 inches outside now.  More snow is due tomorrow.  Cabin Fever could be horrible, if it wasn't for all the things I know I should be doing.  Tuesday I weighed in at 221.4.  Not bad considering I had no restrictions through the weekend. Still.. it's time to get back up and go, go, go.  Measured myself all over again on Tuesday.  Walked one mile on Tuesday and one mile today(wednesday).

roughly 11 weeks to go.

Christmas Questionaire

Found this fun questionaire at Mark's journal and I just had to do it too.  Thanks Mark for sharing this with all of us.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate, hands down.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the
tree? Santa wraps with Santa paper

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?  This year we have a fiber optic tree, and it has colored lights, but around our balcony we have white twinkle lights

4. Do you hang mistletoe?  Not since I left my parents house.

5. When do you put your decorations up? Usually during Thanksgiving weekend.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding
dessert)?    Dressing

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child?  My mother making the turkey dance for us before it was cooked. (don't ask!)

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I can't remember a clear cut point, I'd say it was sometime in grade school though.

9. Do you open any gifts on Christmas Eve?   We usually open one gift, usually one from an extended family member.

10. What kind of cookies does Santa get set out for
him?  chocolate chip, with  milk 

 

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?  Love it, I always enjoy getting out with the kids and making snow angels.

12. Can you ice skate? Yes, but I'm better at roller skating

13. Do you remember your favorite gift as a kid?  My favorite Christmas started out with my only receiving one present on Christmas day.  I'm not sure what happened there, but after Christmas, my mom AND dad took me out on a shopping spree so I could pick out the rest of my gifts.  That turned out to be my most memorable Christmas.  I think my favorite gift was my 35 mm SLR camera I received when I was 15.

 14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays
For you? Being with Family, and singing Christmas Carols

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?  Green and Red Jello Cake.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?   We've always collected special ornaments along the way, so each year as we set up the tree, my husband and I tell the stories of the ornaments. 

17. What tops your tree?  This year, it's a star, usually it's an angel, but since we are in Germany... we left all our unreplacables in storage in the states.

18. Which do you prefer: Giving or Receiving? I think I get the most pleasure from giving when I know that what I've got for someone will be well-received.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Carol?  Mary, Did you know?

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?  I can take them or leave them.  They are so pretty on the tree though.

13 weeks to go- ACK!

Weigh in: 219.6

I've been walking, no separate strength training and no real diet to speak of.  But considering it's the holidays and I've been subjected to the usual temptations, I'm okay with the weight loss.  Kids are on break from school which can sometimes hamper my weight loss efforts. 

We've had snow falling for the last 3 days, and as I look out the window this morning, seems we have some sort of precipitation.  Not sure if it's ice, rain or snow, but it's coming down something fierce.  Supposed to be like this the rest of the week.  I'd say chances are high for a white Christmas.

15 weeks and losing time fast

Conversation with Paul this weekend suddenly makes me very aware that I have 15 weeks before he's home for good.  UGH!  and YEA!  LOL..  Thrilled to know that this long absence is almost over, but very frustrated to realize how much time I've wasted during his absence. 

WEIGH IN: 220.8

On the plus side, if nothing more happens, I've only gained 4 or 6 pounds since he left. On the negative side, I've wasted weeks and weeks of time that I could have been doing the simplest things just to feel like I'm making progress.

So today, since it's Monday and the clock is seriously ticking, I am ready to get started again.  My plan is to do a 30 minute walk M-F.  On Monday, Wednesday and Fridays I will do strength training of the upper and lower body.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I will work my abs.  Saturday and Sundays will be longer walks- lasting up to an hour.

Eating wise, I hope to continue the slow process of replacing old choices with healthier ones. Finally, I intend to take my iron supplements as well as my vitamins.  For help in the appetite area, I'm using my green tea pills.

No more excuses, no more "tomorrow."  Today is the beginning of the end and I want to be able to show progress at the end of 15 weeks.