Holly Jolly

Has it really been almost 3 weeks since I posted last? Yikes. The holiday season just seems to make time go by even faster than ever. Life in suburbia continues on for us. I think I have the holiday shopping done but always feel as though I could just get one more perfect gift for that last person. Neither Gary nor I had any must have's this holiday season and so it creates a rather boring Christmas morning opening our gifts to each other, but given the economy best not to waste money on high priced gifts that we are not sure we can use anyway.

I think our best gift would be a house. One that would be in our ideal price range, near my parents or big enough to have an in law as part of it and still in our town preferably not on Main Street, but on a nice little side road less traveled. Really it's all I want and we have been looking for close to 4 years for a gem of this sort. Most of what comes to us is either too high priced, on a main street or just far enough away from my parents that I don't want to give up the across the yard distance that we have now. I realize that my expectations are a bit high, but it's hard to give up the grandparents next door and probably equally as hard for them to think of us leaving.

Today is the last day of daycare for the girls before the holidays. The daycare closes from December 23 through January 5th to let the workers have their time off at the holidays. I think it's nice really. So today is my last day of work before the holidays as well. For the most part I think I was already gone last week when all the snow hit. It was not a fun ride into work today and I am going to leave to head home shortly given the current attendance in work today is probably less than half the workforce. Plus everyone I need to talk to is out probably with their cars buried under a foot of frozen snow until Wednesday when the temps make it up above freezing or sub arctic chill level that we have now. Brrrr..

Oh and for those of you on the edge of your seats with my WW news, I lost 1/2 pound two weeks ago breaking my old plateau and putting me on a new one last week when I stayed the same and probably again tomorrow night when I go back. I am not too discouraged despite only having lost about 14 pounds since I started this journey back in freaking August. I haven't been giving it my all that it deserves with counting every morsel and getting my butt into exercise mode as needed. But at the same time at least I didn't gain the 7-10 that some people do gain in the holiday season. If I can maintain this week and next I think I will be happy. Plus WW came out with a new program which is actually a spin on the old one that has eliminated the Core Plan but combined it with the flex plan. Obviously I have to read my materials better from last week, this is just the gist of it, I haven't read it all thoroughly enough to report how it works.

In case I don't get to post again before the big day since my posting skills have obviously been slacking lately, I wish you all the merriest and joyous holidays. May your stockings be full, your presents wrapped in time and your preparations all well appreciated. I hope to catch you again before the new year ascends.

Not yet

Nicole woke up from her afternoon nap yesterday with a big 'ole spot of eye grossness on it. At first I wiped it away not thinking much of it and then within minutes another one reappeared. Since I was so happy to be done with antibiotics and back on our way to a nice healed bum, I was not happy to see these eye boogies appearing. I had a conference call for work scheduled at 4:30, just two hours from when she woke up with this conditions. Gary was coming home to keep the girls at bay while I was on said call. So I quickly dialed the pediatricians office and got her a 4PM appointment that Gary took her and Aimee to. Turns out her right ear is still infected even though it is her left eye that is all goopy. Go figure. These sinuses are very tricky things indeed. I gave Gary specific instructions on asking about her diaper rash that was starting to clear up and avoid getting her on any more augmenten since it was just starting to heal it. We had been on Omnicef once before which also produced similar results but also added a total body rash. So this time we got a Z-pak in liquid form and we need to go back in 10 days to be sure the infection is cleared. From there we sit and wait to see what happens the rest of the winter because one more will prompt the tubes discussion. Last winter we did a preventative antibiotic every day and it worked great. I am not sure what is in store for us this winter.

Thank God I am beefing up my own immune system since it appears I can't not get what my girls love to pick up. Despite my rigid hand washing for both of them and face covering with every cough I still get whatever bug they have and this time is no exception. Ugh. I am glad I haven't taken any sick time yet this season!

Old or helplessly out of style?

While in work the other day I was waiting in the elevator lobby of my floor with someone who obviously works for my company. This individual had on dark wash jeans that were about 4 inches too short for him, white socks, what can only be described as zips sneakers, a zip up hoody sweatshirt and a head of unwashed, pillow marked hair. Now in my company we do have a policy of business casual for work but I am not sure this quite qualifies. He was also rather scruffy in the beard with areas that didn't even fill in so it just looked odd.

Then on my usual lunch walk I saw some people along the route decked out in what can only be described as extremes. Granted I work in Kendall Square and there is biotechnology overload there as well as MIT which has it's own kind of interesting individuals. Then in a moment of sheer panic I thought - what if it isn't them? What if it's me? I know that my style isn't really to wear what is in style at the moment. Mainly because my body does not lend itself to wear low cut jeans, boot style or flare too well. I also don't like the tapered or skinny leg thing going on now and I almost fell over while shopping for Aimee and saw stirrup pants. Stirrups, in the Children's Place. Ugh. I think I am more of a classic dresser for work and horribly old stuff for home. I don't think I own any in between, at least not any that fits right now anyway. So I am on a mission. Macy's is having a one - day sale Saturday (with a preview day on Friday of course which always makes me laugh) so I am on a hunt to spruce up my wardrobe.

Which brings me to my other admission here...WW. I haven't gained, thank God, but I haven't lost either in 5 weeks! 5 Weeks people. That has been incredibly frustrating for me. I realize it's technically the holiday season and many people gain in this time but man if I eat one more salad I may not be able to look lettuce in the face ever again. My one saving grace is a friend of mine from high school turned me onto other add ins to the salad. I always think of salad as lettuce, tomato, cucumber, etc. But at her daughter's birthday party a few weeks ago she made a salad of bagged arugula (is that a word for lettuce or did I just pull that out of my you know what?) and sprinkle some craisins, glazed pecans and a tablespoon of Feta cheese. Mix it in with a salad dressing consisting of a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, a little garlic and a pinch of sugar to cut the acid. It's been awesome! So I have been tinkering with the add ins and have gone to raisins - golden and brown, almond slices, walnuts and apple slices. I have been in heaven. So hold out for next week. Tuesday is weigh in day and I better damn well have lost a pound or too for all the Hershey kisses I have said no to thus far.