Tis the Season II

I have been stressing about holiday gifts the past few days.  The remaining people to buy for just  (more on that below) don’t need or want anything.  Also, I believe I would have been on shopping target if I did not have to take that unexpected-food-poisoned trip to Florida.

Then I had the brilliant idea to send flowers.  The balance of my giftees are all hosting holiday parties, so I figure the flowers will add to the festive feel!  I even included my cousin’s young daughter Hailey and my 2 year old god-daughter on the address cards.  I got them both gifts, but figured it’s special to be included in a big girl gift like flowers.   And really, the floral arrangements today are so lovely.  I ended up buying a few of the same bouquets, but hey they won’t be together to compare:

I also bought my niece Mary Willow her very own Christmas tree, as seriously this kid does not need another toy.

 

Tomorrow we are celebrating Christmas with Tim’s family. Everything for his side is wrapped and tonight I made 9 mini lasagnas (we will keep a few). The back story is that last year Tim got up early Dec 25 and made his parents his bolognase sauce. They were so excited and could not stop remarking what an inventive and wonderful gift it was. So this year we pondered how to top it with another dish they love and my lasagna was the winner. I figure they can freeze them and cook them as they want as each portion serves 2 people. We purchased his family a bunch of other gifts too — too much actually. Today as I was tallying up the cost, I realized we went overboard with gifts for his side, yet way under on my side. I felt a tad guilty, so hence the flowers. Even though they are a last minute gift, I think the idea is rather inspired.

We leave for Florida at 5:30am (what the hell was I thinking?, 5:30am) Sunday AM.   All that’s left is laundry and packing.  I have an entire suitcase of unwrapped presents – as the airline informed us to not fly with wrapped gifts.    I am concerned we will spend all Sunday and Monday wrapping gifts, when in reality I want to bake cookies with my mother and lounge in the pool.  Ah, Christmas in Florida!

Tis the Season

I have been eyeing these Christmas stockings from Ballard Designs for awhile – but was holding off for an after Christmas sale, even though I noticed the available styles were dwindling.   Yesterday they were marked a 1/3 down so I ordered two, customized.     I love them.

12 Month Update

So for the first 4 months of 2007 I followed phase I of a heart healthy diet from my doctor.  For the next 5 months I moved to phase II (really I just got to eat more carbs, like thank you god I can have corn at dinner again).  I lost 30lbs.   For the last 3 months of the year I obessesed a little less and maintained my weight.    All in all I am feeling good about my health efforts in 2007 and I look foward to continuing them in 2008.   Luckily, December is 1/2 over.  

We received 4 gift baskets at work today.  Last week (while I was out) we got 8 baskets.  The week prior, another 4.   Every year I think there’s significantly more crap than last year, more popcorn, brownies, cookies, and chocolate than you can even imagine.   I have no issue steering clear of the sweets, however the salty items call to me.   So far I’ve been good (thanks food poisoning).   Also, is it wrong to be happy that I missed all the holiday luncheons at work last week?   To the name of 3.  In the same week?   At this point, I thought I’d be struggling with the holiday foods, instead I cannot wait for January, as Tim and I are returning to Phase 1 of our heart healthy diet.    We are both looking foward to it, as the clean eating leaves us feeling great.  Of course the first 6 weeks will be pure hell (quite an adjustment) as it’s just tough to be so strict, and given that I have also decided to cut back and/or elminate soda (I only drink diet),  I anticipate being a raging bitch for awhile.  

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t curious/nervous to see if I could duplicate my 2007 weight loss.   To be fair, I’ve lost 2007’s weight before.   Any weight loss in 2008 will be (mostly) new territory for me.    I have a tentative goal to lose 20lbs in 2008.  I believe in reasonable goals.   It’s something I finally learned.  That and focusing on just treating my body right.  Feeding it the right foods, exercising and taking better care of myself — all important lessons.   

So What If I Cannot Keep Any Food In?

I got these boots from Nine West today … well actually I bought 2 pairs in brown and black, for $48 each.   Initially, they were priced at $189 a pair.   I had my eyes on them weeks ago, but would not spend $189.   Today they were $141 off!  You have to wonder what it actually costs to make these boots if the price today was $48?  Anyway, the new boots almost take the sting out of not being able to fly home tomorrow due to an ice storm (yeah my flight is now rescheduled to Friday).   Oh and and not being able to eat, or keep any food in (yet).    I have to tell you, even the bonus of weight loss is not enough to say food poisoning is worth it, in any way.

  

I Missed the Funeral, Fo Shizzle.

I missed my grandmother’s funeral because of food poisoning.  Seriously, what the hell.   At the time I was too sick (read on the toilet holding a garbage can as well) to care.  But I’m sad now.   

I did manage to make both wakes on Monday.    And the priest was straight  out of Four Weddings and  Funeral, using the word ”erection” instead of some other word (not even sure what it should have been).  Also,  his thick accent (African) made the word “chisel” sound like “shizzle.”    After days of saddness, we all had a great laugh.    My cousin turned me and said “did the priest just say fo shizzle?”    

Up Then Down (although down is too trite a word for how I feel)

 

We attended a holiday party last night and I clearly was wearing the right outfit.    I wore the black poofy skirt pictured above (Poofy was Tim’s word, although he assured me he liked the skirt despite his use of the unattractive word poofy – oh and I removed the bow) with a  subtley sparkly vneck sweater.  I finished the look with fishnets and some phenomenal black & white polka dot shoes.  I love those shoes.  I believe the best of all compliments (and there were enough that I actually grew uncomfortable) came from someone who has known me 32 years and said ”I never knew what great legs you had.”    I am sure the fishnets and heels helped.     I felt pretty good about myself last night. 

This morning my mother called to tell my grandmother died — in fact, she called only minutes after it happened.    My Nan was 94 and wasn’t suffering from any serious maladies, just old age.   She died in her sleep at the hospital.  My mom was with her at the time.  She had a long life.   My family is huge and we all love(d) her, and we will miss her.  My grandfather died 20 years ago so now, in anything,  she is back with him.  I remember in the late 90’s she bought herself a $2 bouquet of carnations (not really a fancy flower and clearly not expensive) and asked me if I thought it was “ok to spend Poppy’s [my grandfather's] money that way?”  She always loved flowers, and he knew it.  I told her I thought he’d approve.  Moments ago I mentioned this to my mother and said “There must be lots of flowers.    Nan loved flowers.”  Anyway, here is a photograph of her with her namesake, my neice Mary.  She will be missed.

Mary & Mary in 2004.

Edited to add:  I booked my flight to Florida.  The wake is Monday night, the service and funeral are Tuesday.  I leave Sunday afternoon.  I really wanted to fly out Monday AM b/c it was $200 cheaper but my mother wants me there Sunday.  I intended to send Tim a txt msg saying “Grr. Mom wants me there Sunday.”  However, I mistakenly sent it to my mother by accident.  Drama insued.  Clearly I’m an asshole, but it’s been a difficult day.

You Know How I Know it’s Monday?

I feel like this crazybug I have is finally on the mend.   In fact, all that’s left is the occasional pinch in my ears.  I think it helped that I stuck to my guns and steered clear of the alcohol this past weekend in NYC.   We also did a lot of walking and resting and both felt good for the soul.    It’s funny too, we had numerous fancy dinner reservations but my favorite meals were the causal lunch at Le Pain Quotidien and Sunday Tea at Lady Mendl’s.   If you are ever visting NYC, I highly recommend you set aside time for both those places.  Truth be told,  I have had lunch at Le Pain Q so many times recently that I’ve lost count.   

In other news, tonight we are headed over to our storage unit to finally lock up my fat clothes.  They’ve been packed away in my car truck for months and it’s time to say good-fing-bye.  While there we are going to pick up the Christmas decorations and the plan is to decorate this week, but with the bulk on Friday night.   We are very busy the next few weeks but Tim and I have created our own holiday traditions (like making eggnog lattes and baking biscotti together) and I’ll be damned if everyone else’s calendars interfere with them.   Rant.

Luckily,  I am 90% done with my holiday shopping.  However, I keep forgetting to use the 20% off friends and family coupon for Macy’s that expires today.  It’s one of the few that has no restrictions — you can us it on Coach, Kate Spade, and all sorts of higher-end merchandise too (not that I need any of those things).   Need?  Want.  Sure.  I have the coupon in digital form so if anyone wants to jaunt to Macy’s tonight, let me know.   We also have no food in our house, so it’s time to get a grocery delivery stat.  And I want to bake/make little bags of something (no ideas yet) for everyone at my office too.

Perhaps it’s time for a holiday to-do list:
–Gather holiday shizzle from storage
–Put out Xmas village (lots of new items this year courtesy of Ebay)
–Decorate Christmas tree (we have not decided on fake/large, fake/small, or real/small. I love a real tree but my cats do too)
–Decorate house
–Change chalkboard stat
–Wrap gits (that’s all Tim, baby)
–Execute Christmas cards (also Tim, his handwriting is nicer)
–Bake my mother’s cream cheese cookies (must get recipe from mom, again)
–Make something for the office staff
–Buy remaining gifts for Aimee, my mother, and my in-laws
–Purchase items for and fill Tim’s stocking (we are not exchanging gifts as we plan to buy a new TV, well thats if we can ever agree on one)