Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Monson

Monson turned 16 on Monday....and we celebrated by (Wayne and I) going on a double date with Monson and his girlfriend.
Sunday she was a friend-girl....Monday, a girl-friend.

We went to Texas Road House and then a movie. It was fun....?
Monson has always been mature in ways beyond his years. Liking girls is one of these ways. He considers himself a "ladies man." I just want him to be a mamma's boy.

I remember what a darling, google-faced baby he was. So smiley. He looked like a little leprechaun. He was charming, and many people asked to hold him. I would hand them a bath towel to drape over their body, then the baby. He was big on projectile vomiting. After being thrown up on, these same people didn't ask to hold him any more.

I remember him being 3 years old. It was just Monson and me, all of the other boys were in school. We were driving around Bountiful. He had a little smug, contented look on his face. I asked him what he was thinking about?
He replied, " I'm just thinking how cool I am."
He really said that----at three years old.
This has been his mantra ever since.

At 8 years old, Monson asked for a tuxedo for his birthday....that's all. OH yeah, he wanted a monkey too, but I had to draw the line somewhere. He was thrilled when he opened his one present, and it was a beautiful black tuxedo with studded shirt. He wore it to his baptism. He wore it to church every week. He wore it to his 2nd grade school program. All of the other kids had their run around-just in from recess clothes on. But Monson, made me bring the tuxedo and he changed in the car. He knew the "girls would love it." He was right. (I cried all the way through that program, like it was a funeral or something.)

For Monson's 3rd grade talent show, he wore a fedora hat, a Hawaiian shirt and sang "Luck be a Lady Tonight" from Guys and Dolls.
It was amazing....and sweet and man was he Cool.

It was really weird for me to be on this date. I got sick on the food-- had a stomach ache all of the way through the movie and went straight to bed upon returning home.

Maybe it wasn't the food.....maybe I was just "sick" thinking about my youngest son DATING! Sick that he was holding hands. Sick about change. Sick about getting old. Sick ........ oh well, I'll get over it.

I'm looking forward to the new year with excitement and maybe more double dating opportunities with my other boys.

Sunday, December 28, 2008

I love nativities


I love nativities.
I got one from Wayne the first year we were married for Christmas. It's a Precious Moments one. I display it with honor every year, all by itself, on the piano. It means the world to me. That's the year we had no money and for Christmas all we were going to get was 4 new tires for the car.....but Wayne sneaked in the nativity too.
I cried.
I love nativities.
I'm not really a nativity collector like Laura Belnap or Carol Merrill, but I have my fair share.
I love watching my boys and now Laila play with the nativity pieces and move them around so they can see the baby Jesus better. This playing with, inevitably leads to chips, cracks, and broken pieces.
I have some broken angels, shepherds,wisemen and donkeys to different nativities through out the years. I just pull out the super glue and try to piece the ceramic back as best I can. I don't throw nativities away. I think the broken pieces add character and a much needed analogy:
We come broken to the Savior and he "fixes" us and sees us as perfect.

I've left my big statuary-one out in front of my home. This began 3 years ago when Landon said, "Please leave baby Jesus up until I go on my mission." This would have been in the summer. I thought, "why not."
I left the statues in place for months, then a year went by, and finally Landon allowed me to take it down.
We both cried.
I liked having the nativity up all year though as a reminder. So I've continued doing this. I've left a quilted one and a snowman nativity out on my antique sewing machine top in my dining room the past 2 years. It's lovely to dust it and walk past it, and have my thoughts taken back to the greatest gift.


Addison sculpted a "shy-little-troll-kids- posing-as-Mary- and-Joseph-in-a
-pageant-with-a -crying-Jesus -ready-to-cry- themselves," Nativity for my mom and dad for Christmas. Their response to it was classic JOY!

Nativities bring out the best in people....they help us center our thoughts on the Christ Child.

This year I'm trying to decide which one deserves the honor.

(I just wrote an entire post and didn't mention food or eating once.
YEAH for me!)

Saturday, December 27, 2008

I treadmilled it!

I woke up today with new resolve. I got on my treadmill-- went for 20 minutes and then took some cold medicine...and now I'm sweaty and my head is pounding from congestion....but the good news is I exercised.
Wayne called it my new resolution.
It's really just the continuing saga of my old resolution.

The holidays keep coming.
We took the kids and one friend each to the movies and out to dinner yesterday. It really was fun. We saw Bedtime stories with Adam Sandler...and it was cute. There was something in it for everyone. Then off to Joy Luck for Chinese. I, of course, ate too much theatre popcorn and walnut shrimp....then two Carol Merrill brownies I found on Laura's cupboard. MMMMmmmmm

But today....for the past 3 hours...I have had resolve.

I am so ready to take down my Christmas decorations...and move forward to the next event. Monson's 16th birthday on Monday. Cake and Ice cream and Dinner.....
Then New Years Eve and New Years Day and Wayne's Birthday on Jan. 7th and Truman's 18th birthday on Jan. 21 and Laila's on Jan. 22-- the Eating events just keep coming.

I need more resolve.....

I think I'll stop writing and go do some sit ups.

Friday, December 26, 2008

Annual Christmas Bloat

I am now suffering from my yearly after Christmas holiday bloat. I've eaten 20 shrimps too many, a dozen cookies too much. Handfuls of Good Junk and Muddy buddies and Rice krispie treats.....I'm on cereal overload.
I've hammed too much ham and stuffed too much stuffing. I've had hot cocoa, and sweet rolls and hot rolls galore. Tried all of the homemade chocolates, and goodies that have arrived at my door. (Hey, that rhymes. I've eaten so much I'm now Dr. Seuss)
Suffice it to say, I'm really good at eating through the holidays.
It's part of the festivities....right next to decorations, and Christmas music.

"IT's the most wonderful time of the year."

We had a great Christmas morning. It began just after 7:30am when Wayne and I jumped out of bed in "heart attack" mode, because we heard a little girl's voice coming from the vicinity of the living room saying, "Yeah, Santa came." It was actually Addison practicing his falsetto. It really did get our hearts started. We thought Laila was in the living room, already opening presents.

We bleary-eyed it through present opening, and then the eating began.
French Toast and bacon, followed by more sweets.
I did throw two oranges into the eating mix yesterday-- although they were only clementines, baby oranges, that don't really count.
"I'm trying to have my fruits every day"-- I tell my self this as I drink my 4th glass of cranberry juice spiked with sprite.

The year is almost at an end.....
In the next few weeks I will get my act together, and go back in time to August when I wondered out loud, "How did I get to weigh 164 pounds...?"
Well I'm back there again, and I'm not really wondering....I acknowledge every tasty morsel that have passed my lips.

Ah......Christmas!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Christmas Cookies

Christmas cookies are so, well...... Christmasy!
We just got a big tray delivered from one of Monson's girlfriends, and we have been smiling ever since.
Getting little remembrances of love and friendship at Christmas is always nice.
I love little neighbor gifts. Treats, notes, stories, calendars, candy, hot cocoa....it's all good.
Some years I'm better at this neighbor gift tradition than others.
This year Wayne brought home a bunch of steak knives, so some neighbors are getting knives with a note..."We're not very SHARP, so let's CUT right to the POINT....Merry Christmas!"
I have given extension cords with-- "Extending you the warmest wishes, Merry Christmas".
I have given tissue boxes with -- "We 'tissue' a Merry Christmas."
I've given a 2 litre of Sprite-- "May your days be merry and Sprite."
You can probably see the pattern.
I usually give an object that can be purchased....not FOOD that I've made.
The boys have pretty much banned me from cooking treats and giving them away. If I know I'm giving it away, the treat usually "fails".
I've resorted to cereal cooking-- Good Junk and Muddy Buddies.....all out of Chex Mix.
Yeah for cereal recipes.
These are hard to mess up.
This year I branched out a bit, and for a few neighbors, gave Muddy Buddies, that we called Reindeer food.
It's great to have neighbors who like you whether you give them something or not....and who bring Christmas Cookies.

Monday, December 22, 2008

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Art for Arts sake




My Addison is an artist!
This is true in every sense of the word.
He is colorful, eccentric, funny, introspective, willing, obsessed, passionate, great story teller, creative, forgetful, enthusiastic......you get the idea. He gets so involved in his "stuff" that he forgets to eat. It will be the end of the day, and he won't feel good-- and then remember,"Oh, yeah, I haven't eaten ALL DAY. " ( I don't relate)
I tease him that he is sooooo right brained that his head should be mis-shapen. His right side should be huge and his left side all shriveled up.
It really is a miracle that he has made it this far in school -- those math classes are kil ler s for him.

It is so fun to watch him create, and be creative.

Addison loves the theatre and wants to be an actor on stage and screen.
Theatre is his major at school, and he plans on being very successful.
He loves to sing and has a beautiful voice. It gets better and better as he matures.
Musical theatre is his passion. He is currently in Peter Pan at Weber State in Jan/Feb. and then Musical of Musicals at the Grand Theatre in Feb/March.
Addison is great at pencil sketches and drawings. He paints and now has found a new passion...sculpting.
He wandered around Tai Pan Trading with me at Halloween time, and saw all of these little elves and Santas , and knew he could make his own....even better. So he bought some clay and started. He became consumed by it...drawing little pictures, dreaming about nose and ear shapes, staying up to the wee hours of the morning doing his thing.

He finished some elf heads and I gave them away to family for Christmas gifts on Sat. night.
They were all thrilled.
The oohs' and ahhs and sweet laughter made the art all worth it for me.
Just the doing of the Elves , makes it worth it to Addison.
Addison is an Artist.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Crying through the Holidays

I knew I was having "one of those Sundays"-- when I started crying while talking to a friend during early morning choir practice. Tears came easily as I described , once again, how amazing it was that Laura even made it home from China. ( 4 fractures in her pelvis, 3 torn ligaments in her hip, torn hamstring and 2 broken toes) It really was a miracle.
The crying continued as we sang the ward choir program. It's not fair when the choir director starts crying during the first few chords of "Were you there?"
I love to sing out of my music and have the words memorized, so I can look at the choir director. But it's not fair to have the director crying-- then I'm choking up.
I look beyond her, to stop my tears, and see my friend Laura sitting in her wheel chair in the back singing along-- now I'm really crying. I have to get it together. I really just want to sit down and give into my tears and sob my heart out....but couldn't...shouldn't.....didn't.
I really felt the spirit.
The ward choir Christmas program is one of the highlights of my Christmas season.
I love music and the spirit it brings.

I'm crying through the holidays-- as usual.
Cried in the boy's Christmas concert.
Cried at Laila's little drama program.
Cried at the Marley and Me preview.
Cried as I listened to the radio and the need for more Sub for Santa this year
Cried as I drove down the hill listening to Christmas music
We have our family Christmas dinner today with me, Wayne, all my kids and my mom and dad. Then we are off to the Welch family Christmas party with all of Wayne's family, featuring gingerbread boy decorating, more eating, and a sweet nativity.
I plan on crying through that now too.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Christmas Cooking

Came home from Truman and Monson's two holiday choir concerts totally in the mood to cook!
Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly.....I sang as my cooking night began.
My foodie-friend, Si, inspired me on her blog and I gathered all of the ingredients to make Fresh Cranberry (English) Scones with Almond cream.

MMMMMMmmmmmm!
I know you are thinking...is this diet food? Is this going to be healthy? These sound healthy because of two words: Cranberry and Almond......... AND....I was only going to eat one.

I had the fresh cranberries, flour, baking powder, eggs, buttermilk....oh, wait, no buttermilk-- how do I make fake buttermilk. Looked on line-- "add lemon juice or vinegar or cream of tartar to whole milk and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, then use."
Great...I can do this. I wonder how old this bottle of lemon juice is? No whole milk...1% will have to do.
I begin to chop the cranberries.
My those little, red, round balls are slippery. Hard to chop. Berries are flying all over the floor. Rinse and reuse. I'm making a mess on the front of my shirt. Need an apron. Where is an apron? When's the last time I used an apron?
No apron.
Back to the mixing.
I put all of the ingredients in a bowl...follow the recipe "exactly" -- well tried to.
Patted the berry studded dough into a 10 inch circle. Cut 8 wedges. Sprayed my baking sheet.
"Sprinkle on Turbinado sugar....."

What the "H" is Turbinado sugar?
(I picked up letter swearing on my recent China trip-- thanks Laura and Kimi...it's not good....and I'm going to stop.)
I used granulated sugar.....
Okay...The scones looked pretty good to me at this point. They looked "English" to me-- white, pasty , red bumpy complexion, you get the idea.
Baked them off-- 15 minutes at 400 degrees.

My house smelled divine at 10pm. The boys were salivating and commenting on their mothers cooking prowess. The UMOZ-- delights her children once again.
Scones....not so divine.
Took a few bites. My kids took a few bites. Picked the cranberries out. Took a few nibbles more.
Hmmm?
Didn't cook long enough? Something wrong with my oven? Maybe the buttermilk was the issue...or the special T- sugar? Who knows. Threw the rest away.
I Didn't even make it to the Almond whip cream stage.
FA- la- la -la -la-la-la-la-la!

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Tortoise and the Hare


I have exercised twice this week!
I pulled myself out of my 24 day slump , wriggled into my sports bra, strapped on my sneakers and headed to the dungeon. ( my dark basement)
Two days on the treadmill and I'm feeling pretty good about myself.

I don't know why I get so far off the exercise "wagon" that I can't even find it....but I've repented and I'm BACK!

The tortoise and the hare fable is really appropriate for me.
Remember the fable about the tortoise and the hare? The hare got off to a zippy start and seemed sure to win the race. But he didn't, did he? The tortoise, while naturally much slower than the hare, kept moving steadily towards the finish line and was able to cross first.

I am the frenzied hare.....I jump in with my whole heart, empty my cupboards of guilty pleasure food, and set up diet and exercise charts- knowing I am totally motivated, and the pounds are just going to melt away-- Only to be tripped up and never reach the finish line, because "it's just not fun anymore."

I need to be the tortoise.
SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE
(That needs to be my new motto.....)

A great day of exercise followed by a few cookies later shouldn't derail my thin dreams.

Human beings are imperfect.

It's inevitable that I will eventually skip a workout or give in to temptation, and feel like a failure and want to give up entirely — trade the all for the nothing.
I need tortoise thinking....Pace myself.
As long as I don't stray too far from the exercise path, I should reach my goals.
I'm planning on Exercise day #3

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Photoshop and Garbage Trucks


I'm thankful for PHOTOSHOP.

We had family pics taken....big 30 people family pictures taken. We had to get it done before my nephew flew off to a mission in New Zealand...and we only had night time. Family pictures are stressful anyway, and don't bring out the best in any of us.... and these were no different.

We tried many ideas of where to set up, and finally decided the stage at the high school would suffice. Well....the bright spotlights, and the black curtain, just didn't make for the best pictures. BUT....photoshop is amazing. We can lighten up hair, darken faces, get rid of wrinkles and big but-t-s...you get the idea.

I could make a billion dollars if I could figure out how to photoshop real life...not just pictures. It's great to live in denial.

I'm thankful for Garbage trucks.

Think about it. You put your crap on the curb and a man drives up and hauls it away for you. Does it get better than that?

Mine comes on Wednesdays.

I'm loving this concept.

The DI sends a truck around too, periodically......If I don't want to wait for them, I just load it in my car and get that beautiful de-junked feeling any time I want-.

Dieting would be so great if it was like this.....just decide, time to get rid of this fat bu tt or that jelly belly , and then a man comes and takes it away in his big noisey truck.


Imagine if we could expand their business to haul away EMOTIONAL crap! Now that would be something.


Monday, December 15, 2008

PMS and Periods---- (Warning Sensitive material follows)


My period started 4 days early, while in China, and lasted over a week! I blame it on the 11 airplane flights and my body not knowing what time it was for quite a while. But still, where's the fairness in an 8 day period?
Where is the fairness in even having a period when I'm well beyond child "patience" years?

Now...I have PMS---- Post Menstrual Syndrome.... ( I actually had to ask Truman how to spell Menstrual and he knew.....hmmmm?)
I ran out of my DHEA...my lifesaver....and I'm screaming at everyone and anyone who gets in my way....particularly if you are under 4 feet tall....
I actually have had my PMS symptoms totally handled for the last 2 years thanks to DHEA-- and I can't believe I let myself run out of it. I had my CHINA stash in a baggy, but I didn't remember that my bottle was empty....and now my family all gets to suffer.

10 days to CHRISTMAS......BAAAAAAAH!!

I'm eating everything in sight....
I'm bloated...nothing fits.... okay all of the Christmas goodie eating might be the reason for this, but who knows?
I'm mad......
I'm sad....
I'm bad...
I have tooo much to do..... maybe taking a 13 day vacay right before the BIG holiday, wasn't such great timing?

I'm.......BAAAAHHH!

I'll take 2 DHEA and be better in the morning..

Friday, December 12, 2008

2 types of people

There are people who will eat Chinese food in China and people who opt for McDonald's in China or nothing. I tried to be only in the first group on this latest Beijing excursion....but I had to dip my toe into McDonald's land 3 times-- just to survive. MCDonald's fries have never tasted so good.

While getting the little cancer cut out of my chest this morning, I was watching "What about Bob" for the 100th time....and I was reminded of one of my favorite movie lines, "There are 2 types of people, those who like Neil Diamond and those who don't."

I like to classify people into groups as well. I find it helpful to compartmentalize. .... Mainly things like... people who like dark chocolate and those who don't, people who eat stale DOTS, and those who don't. It's either you do or you don't, you will or you won't. You get the idea.

Here are some more ideas to think about:

People who'll eat food that's fallen on the floor and those that won't

People who love Musical Theatre and those who won't step foot in a theatre

Adults who order off of a kids menu and those who won't

Self home repairers and those who hire it done

People who only take home baked desserts to ward parties, and people who purchase store bought

Old mom's with young kids and Young mom's with young kids

People who eat American cheese and people who only fish with it

People who love vegetables and those who consider ketchup a vegetable

Those who know the Color Code and are enlightened because of it and those who think yellow is the color of the sun, blue is the color of the sky, red is fire and white is peace.

People who can go potty anywhere i.e. squatters in China, and those who need pristine situations and toilet seat covers

Those who volunteer at the Grade school and those who don't

It's interesting to think about this. I like "typing" people......it helps me.
What will or won't you do.....?

Thursday, December 11, 2008

8 tag

I'm sharing my 8 tag today....if you want to play....go ahead. I'm not good at the normal way of "tagging" in blogging.
Like everything else, I do it my way.

8 favorite "diet" foods
1-yogurt
2-apples
3-tuna
4-diet hot cocoa
5-celery with peanut butter
6- rhubarb pie
7-bread pudding
8- chocolate cheesecake
(I know the last 3 are not diet foods....don't care....I got sick just looking at the first 5 and got off track)

8 TV shows I love to watch
1-The Office
2-Dancing with the Stars
3-American Idol
4-So you think you can Dance
5-30 Rock
6-Extreme Home Makeover
7-Samantha Who
8-Gilmore Girls--- off the air, but watch it in syndication

8 Places I love to eat
1- Mandarin
2- Si's
3- Baja Cantina
4- Texas Road House
5- Zinns Bistro
6- My mom's
7- The Roof
8- Marie Callendar's for dessert only

8 Things that happened yesterday
1-Saw 'Twilight" with girlfriends
2-blogged
3-created Christmas gifts online
4-went to 2 Christmas choir concerts for Truman--- slept through one.
5- did a Washonline school "Millionaire" game.
6-cried with a friend
7-lost Laila and Preston after school
8-watched Wayne de-viruse my big computer

8 Things I look forward to
1- A clean house
2- maid service
3- Christmas morning
4- Vacation with my family
5- World Traveling
6- Eating (I have such an unhealthy relationship with food...)
7- Remodeled Kitchen
8- Being in good shape....i.e. losing last 20 pounds

8 Things I love about WINTER
1- Snow clinging to tree branches
2-Sweaters
3-no more cracked summer feet
4- sparkly snow on sunny days
5- Fire in the fireplace
6-Hot Bread and Soup
7- No more worrying about watering the flower pots--leaf raking, or yard work
8- Snuggling with my family members and watching movies together

8 Things on my wish list
1- Remodeled Kitchen ( I really want this-- can you tell?)
2- New windows through out my cold house
3- European Vacation
4- Disneyland with Laila
5- Being in a Show
6-Peace with world and with self
7- Machu Pichu , Peru
8- No more dizzy dude!!!

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Poor Oprah

Poor Oprah---- having to confess a one year , 40 pound weight gain to millions of people over the airwaves.
WOW!!!!
Now that's painful
I only have to confess my ups and downs with weight to a few interested bloggers.
Once again dealing with the question-- why does weight matter?
Oprah has everything money can buy-- and she is still unhappy with her body because of her weight.
I know some people don't care about this.
I know some people aren't obsessed with the scale.
I know some people don't think about food, or what they are going to eat next.
Well I'm not some people
Call me Oprah

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

What did I do today?

What have I done today? ( heavy sigh)
I made pancakes , eggs, sausage and bacon with Laila for dinner. I made peach crisp for Addison and Landon for a treat. Oh,.... and I made cookie dough for Monson. Food wise, Truman was the only non demanding child.

I had Laila on my lap for most of this day, she needed lot's of attention. She is sick again and is coughing, wheezing and throwing up. Hopefully we will have a better day tomorrow. She sits on my lap and tells me how much she loves me and kisses my neck, and pets my hair.

My kids have me all figured out.
If any of my boys want money or a favor from me they say, "H ey hottie. " or "Former Super model......" They think they can appeal to my vanity and I'll give them anything......they are mostly correct.
Laila tells me things like, "You are so cute, you don't need makeup." or "Good job at getting rid of your gray hair." or "Your the best mom in the whole wide world."
The last one is usually said when I give in to her demands and cute pouty lip and feed her and her 2 friends mint chip ice cream at 5:30pm -- right before their mothers pick them up for dinner....heee heee.

Mother hood is interesting.
I love being a mother.....I would love if my clothes fit me better while I am being a mother, but being a mom is nice.

Some day all my kids will be gone. I know this.
But on this day....I have kids eating everything in sight, scavenging through the cupboards, kids arguing about who shoveled the most and least amounts of snow today, and a kid rocking my body back and forth and putting necklaces soaked in spit on my face.
Infact, as I try to type this I have Laila wiggling the dining room table my lap top is sitting on asking me if I "can type while on a wavey boat at sea? " Love it.

Okay, I know what I did today. ( Sweet smile)

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Holiday party eating tips

I have the trees decorated-- well one half way decorated, but I'm calling it "done." My nativities are out and I'm starting to get in the Christmas mood.
I have so much to do if I'm going to get anything ordered on line this year....cards to figure out, books to make etc....
I'm through with the jet lag and now I only have my tiredness to blame on staying up too late while talking to my teen agers and my sick little Laila.
Christmas is here !!! I know this because I'm dreaming of what food I'm going to be eating a the next party.
Alas, Egg nog and soft sugar cookies are definitely dancing in my head.
My friend sent me this amazing list of do's and don'ts for holiday eating.
Enjoy!!!

As the holidays begin, I wanted to pass these tips along to you. Enjoy the spirit of the festivities.


1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.


2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare.. You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!


3. if something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.


4. as for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with milk or cream. If it's skim milk, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.


5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?


6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.


7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies or pralines in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.


8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Cream. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like cream, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?


9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.


10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

Shrinking Grandma

My Grandma is currently the incredible shrinking woman. This once robust ( size 16 ) woman is shrinking before my eyes. I had lunch with her on Friday and came away ....... sad.

I remember her always watching her weight when I was a child and teen ager. She would walk "the loop" around the neighborhood of her house. We felt privileged when we would get the call to go walk with her.
I remember her joining TOPS-- a weight loss group in the 70's. I don't know what it officially stood for, but I always thought it was short for--Tons Of People Starving.

My mom is on the heavy side thanks to menopausal meds and body trauma. She would say she is fat-- I think the chub just makes her skin look awesome. It fills in the creases, so she is very non wrinkly. It's hard to guess her age that's for sure.

My grandma and mom are food pushers. They are only happy, if at the end of a meal-- after everyone has had 2nds or 3rds, there are no leftovers. That means they made enough, and everyone had their fill.
"There's always room for seconds."
" We can't have left overs."
"You need a large piece of cake, you are a growing ."
" If you aren't in pain after eating, have another serving."

When I moan about my weight now, my grandma just scoffs at me.. ..
"Enjoy it, pretty soon you won't even feel like eating. Nothing will sound good and you will just waste away."

I had lunch with Grandma Friday.....I'm not complaining.

Friday, December 5, 2008

China List

China was awesome.
I'm still basking in the fun-ness of it.
Things I learned while in China
1. Take a spare candy bar or package of nuts everywhere you go.
2. Chinese taxi drivers get upset when you try to cram 6 s into a 4 seater.
3. The Great Wall is not just roll-y and easy to walk ....parts of it are straight up for a mile.
4. 11 airplane rides in 12 days makes me tired and draggy.
5. Shopping at the Silk Market in Beijing and at the W mall in Shenzhen means having to buy 2 new suitcases to bring it all home in.
6. Chinese money is easy to spend...it's like monopoly money
7. Keep toilet paper in your purse at all times
8. Squatters are stinky and make my thighs shake ( so much for exercising)
9. Chinese foot and leg massages are HEAVEN-- 90 minutes for $13.00
10. Keep your valuables close...there are pick-pockets on the subway
11. Chinese food can be VERY HOT AND SPICY
12. If it's weird looking and you eat it anyway, don't ask anyone what it is you just ate.

I loved this trip.... I would do it again...but first I want to go to Peru, and Machu Pichu.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

What's up with Chopsticks?

I'm back....and sleepier than ever.
I tried to Blog while in China...but we were traveling too much ( 11 airplane flights in 12 days) , staying up too late, getting up too early, no internet access...you get the drift. The computer was the last thing on my mind.
But.....I'm back.
Here's what I would have written while in China.

What's up with chopsticks? As a diet device...they work great for me. I can't seem to get anything even near the proximity of my mouth with them.
I set a goal to get good at using chopsticks while on this trip.
I was determined to join in the culture and not ever ask for a fork while traveling from Shenzhen to Beijing.
I was pretty good at the first couple of awkward stick squeezing bites, then my hand would cramp up and I would resort to stabbing the food instead. It was always a helpful meal when we had Peking Duck-- I could use the little pancakes for the duck and for all of the other food on the table as well. I could eat all of my food like a burrito....No chopsticks needed.

The first day, I tried some of the hot, hot.....did I say hot as in spicey, Schezhun cuizine. What I could actually taste was good. It was good until the spice kicked in and my head felt like it was going to pop off and my lips were on fire, and my mouth was numb. What's up with that?
At this point I didn't care if I couldn't eat with chopsticks, and I didn't even want a fork. I wanted medical care. I needed a big drink of milk, stat. Oh, that's right-- no milk in China, just soy milk.

The only thing I could think of to do, while in this mouth burning state , was to hoot. I actually let off little/big screams of pain. My eyes were sweating, my face was red.
I was still hungry.
As soon as the firey-numb settled down, I tried a different bite.
Pick up the sticks, try to concentrate on picking up the big piece of unknown-food, have most of it fall off the sticks before it get's to my mouth, end up licking hot spice off the chopsticks instead. The circle of life. Hot burning mouth , sweaty eyes, little screams. Quite the sight. My table mates were laughing-- they obviously didn't eat, what I ate.

Another interesting chinese delicacy is a chicken dish where they don't take the bones out before they chop up the chicken. I don't know this , of course. I toss a piece of chicken in my mouth, and end up spitting out bone schrapnel onto my plate-- along with alot of the meat. Why is this a good idea?

I'm still hungry.

Using chopsticks as a diet device is great in theory.....what actually happened is I wouldn't get enough to eat, then I would just stuff down 2 candy bars after dinner.
Ahhhh, Snickers.