In the Home Stretch

-






I've been busy this week with zoom meetings and preparing a message for Sunday. I also have been busy getting my Christmas shopping done and baking Christmas cookies. Those of you who know me, know I usually spend the entire month making cookies. I use them for events, parties and gifts. But this year, I didn't bake one until this week. That is mostly because in years past, I struggled with not eating them. I figured it would be best to not have them sitting around.

But it also hasn't felt much like Christmas this year. Some of that is not doing the normal traditions and activities. The other thing is my daughter will not be here this year as she is going to her fiancé's family for the holiday and our son, Stephen, won't be arriving until the afternoon on Christmas day as he has to work. It has been hard to get in the Christmasy mood when it is going to seem like a normal day.

However, I know life happens as children become adults and have lives of their own so I'm making the best of it. And I will still get to celebrate with them, just in a different way.

I am scaling way back on the amount and types of cookies. Usually I have about 12-14 different kinds, made in double batches. This year I've only made one batch of each kind and will hold at about 6 different kinds. These will be headed out the door in the next few days too as I don't need temptation staring me in the face. 

I've made spritz, pepparkakor, bizcochitos, and cranberry-white chocolate oatmeal cookies. There is dough for cocoa snowflakes in the refrigerator. The plan today is to bake those and maybe make one other kind. 

The thing that has helped me not to eat them is to make sure I bake after I've had lunch. This way I'm not resisting while hungry. 

Now I just need to get motivated and send out my Christmas cards. I haven't sent one card yet this year and am running out of time! We are in the home stretch and I need to get those last minute things done.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Comments

  1. AngelaDecember 15, 2023 at 6:34 PM

    With you in this Teri - lots of tasks usually done by now are still on the to-do list. As the family grows up, it feels strange not to have both our girls with us on 25th. But our eldest and family WILL be here after all, then iff to the other grandparents - and new years weekend BOTH girls and men, and grandchildren will be here. I hope the food issue does not cloud your Christmas - thinking of you & praying for you in this. Thank you again for the advent readings

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. TerriDecember 16, 2023 at 6:01 AM

      It's definitely a mental adjustment. Emily & Ryan will be here on the 28th to celebrate so I'm looking forward to that. I've been okay with the cookies around and that's probably because I've been doing this for quite a few months so it's habit. But I am glad that I'm getting them out of the house quickly. lol

      Delete

Post a Comment

I love your comments and encouragement! I can't always respond back but do read each comment.

Popular posts from this blog

Oh What to Do; I'm Sixty-Two!

-
Image
Today is my sixty-second birthday and it's hard to believe I've achieved that....um....seasoned age! My first thought this morning was one of not being sure that I like it. However,  as I thought I about it, I decided to take joy in the fact that I've reached an older age. Because age comes with benefits. Benefit #1 - I'm a bit wiser.   When I look back at some of the decisions I made when I was younger, I cringe. With age has come the ability to slow down and think things through before I make major upheavals in my life. I've also discovered that getting worked up about certain things is just an absolute waste of emotional energy. Benefit #2 - I'm enjoying my life.   As I've aged I've learned all kinds of skills and hobbies and can honestly say that I'm never, ever bored. I love all the different things I'm able to do and it's fun! Benefit #3 - I've learned to appreciate my relationships. With age I've learned to work on developing a...
Read more

Eating to Live

-
Image
  Despite the unexpected busyness and interruptions, I have been plugging away at my weight loss as well as writing the plant-based, whole food cookbook. Recipe testing fell by the wayside the past two weeks, but I've still gotten a good chunk of the book done. I also got on the scale this morning for another one pound loss which makes a total of 61 lbs. since I started this journey back in July. It's second nature at this point and I have so much more energy and feel healthy. The only negative is that because I've lost so much weight I'm seeing some sagging, crepe-papery skin happening. Yuck. Some of that is age and I need to figure out some toning exercises. It's definitely a life-style change, but a positive one which I'm so thankful I started on. The pictures above are a small selection of meals I've eaten the past two months and many of those will be included in the book.  This will be a printable e-book as I find that will be the easiest and most cost ...
Read more

When the Unexpected Pops Up

-
Image
On Thursday afternoon, just as Dan and I were getting ready to leave for a meeting, we received a phone call from our son. He was sitting on the side of the road with a blown engine in his car. The problem is he lives 3 1/2 hours away. After back and forth phone calls he called a tow truck and got it towed to a garage. He ended up renting a car and headed here for the holiday. We've been working with him to figure out his next steps because he still owes thousands of dollars on the car which will also take a significant amount to replace the engine. His rent is going up in the new year. His seasonal job ended and he is trying to find something else, but needs a car for that to happen. His car still has not been looked at by the mechanic. It is all more than a little overwhelming. Long story short, we extended an invitation for him to live here temporarily so he can get out from under all of this. It would save him money on expensive rent and utilities.  The timing was right since h...
Read more