DECEMBER 2023 WISH dancing through the holidays

[Oneanne]

My present-self is thankful that my past-self got us moved up here. We're almost to the one year mark when I found the house and my NIL challenged me to do something about it. Four days after that conversation I signed the lease and three weeks after that I started to move. It was such hard work and yet came together so easily and quickly.

Future-me is going to be thankful that present me is always learning and growing and adjusting. In 2023 I've made great progress laying down the foundations for the life I want and by all intents and purposes, that new life is on the cusp of becoming real, so 2024 is looking very good for future-me.

 

[newski_mom]

My present self is grateful that I made the move to come back to my home town to work many years ago. After I graduated from college, I started working in the big city near us with about an hour each way commute. I loved it at the time, but when I had our first baby, my boss from my old part time job contacted me about working there again (full time this time) in an elevated position.

Part of me didn't want to give up the "big city" job, but I'm so thankful that I did. It made an immense difference in our family life while raising our kids - I got to be the room mother, drop them off and pick them up after school, etc. I'm now the controller of the company, so I've met some professional goals along the way too! Anyway, I'm very glad that I made that decision all those years ago!

Future me will thank current me if I can continue to be mindful with health choices that I'm trying to make. I love what you wrote @PollyannaMom - I am too trying to up my physical activity to stay healthier and stronger as I age.

 

[ShannyMcB]

Current me is thankful past me was not a big party person during my younger days...which could have lead me into addiction struggles very present in my family...future me will likely appreciate my continuance of this and present "everything in moderation" approach.

In addition future me will thank current me for taking care of my skin...lots of sunscreen and hydration will pay off when I'm older.

 

[Summer2018]

All of these are so great!

Current me is grateful that past me put myself through college after my mother passed away. I'm grateful that I was determined to become a mother myself and did everything in my power to conceive, including going to a Prayer and Healing church service every Wednesday night.

Future me will thank current me for continuing to try to eat more healthy as well as taking care of my face with exceptional skin-care products.

 

[PAsFab5]

Ohhhhh such a good topics @Oneanne!!

Current me is thankful that past me never gave up in my late teens/early 20s. Being a teen parent was hard, being a young wife was hard, DH and Is jobs were terrible in so many ways…but we pushed through and 23 years later-we made it!

I hope future me will be thankful for the support I show my kids-even when I don’t agree with them completely, when they are messing up and when they are driving me nuts…I try to show patience and support. I am already seeing positive impacts in our relationships and I pray it continues

 

[Oneanne]

Reading everyone's thankfuls was such a treat - thank you for sharing!

 

[Oneanne]

FRIDAY FREE FOR ALL



And here we are, coming to the end of the first week of December.

How did this week go for you? Are you tracking to your December healthy living goals?

How is the holiday season unfolding for you? What are your plans for the weekend?

Food was mentioned several times when we were talking about holiday traditions, do you have any extra special foods you make each year and recipes to share?

 

[Summer2018]

FRIDAY FREE FOR ALL

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And here we are, coming to the end of the first week of December.

How did this week go for you? Are you tracking to your December healthy living goals?

How is the holiday season unfolding for you? What are your plans for the weekend?

Food was mentioned several times when we were talking about holiday traditions, do you have any extra special foods you make each year and recipes to share?

I am absolutely dumbfounded. The Thanksgiving pounds were gone last week, but the prednisone pounds are gone now too! I don't know how this happened. I am so confused. I should be jumping up and down for joy, but I'm too busy trying to figure this out. Yes, I have been eating well and moving at school, but I have also had a treat or two that I shouldn't have. I didn't expect to be this weight this morning...I stopped weighing daily like NOOM wants, because it caused me to be obsessive. So, I have only been weighing myself randomly maybe once a week or so. It's so amazing to be back here within 2 pounds of my lowest weight in decades, but why am I not excited?! I don't know, but it does make me more mindful about how I will handle Christmas. Baking begins this weekend. I will sample, but I REALLY am afraid of ruining this. I can't mess this up.

In addition to baking my cookies...decorating next weekend...I have to send out my Christmas cards, plus get a pedicure, and do other typical chores. Shopping is done. I have to wrap, but I have time for that in the upcoming weeks.

DD got back from a whirlwind work trip in D.C. last night, and is turning around and going to spend the weekend with her BF, so we won't have time to catch up unfortunately. Maybe on Monday.

TGIF!!!

 

[PollyannaMom]

Congrats on the weight loss, @Summer2018 !!

 

[piglet1979]

I missed yesterday. It was a rough day. I will get to that in a minute. But on to the questions from Thursday. I loved reading everyones and it helped me to think of things.

My present self is thankful that I switched jobs 15 years ago. I was working at a daycare not getting paid well and the job was going nowhere. My neighbors best friend was looking for an assistant so I applied and got the job. I started out as an administrative assistant and have moved up throughout the years to Senior Manager. I have room for growth still if I want it but I am very content where I am right now. This job really wants a work/home life balance and has supported me though all the craziness with kids. I was able to be their for everything at their schools or home with them when they were sick. This was the best move I could have made.

My future self will not be pleased with me. I am the heaviest that I have ever been. I am about 30-40 pounds heavier then I was at 9 month pregnant. I have not taken care of myself at all and have let the stress from ELizabeth affect me more then I would ever like to admit. But now is the time to change. I am trying to be mindful of what I eat right now and get some movement in. There is so much going on this month so I don't want to throw so much at myself. After the New Year I am going to crack down on this. I will be pleased with myself for doing everything I can for kids and spending as much time with them as I have been able to.

 

[piglet1979]

OK now on to the craziness from Wednesday. Elizabeth's throat started to hurt and was progressively getting worse as the evening went on. It got to the point that she wouldn't swallow (she could but it hurt to bad) and she refused to talk. I missed getting her to the urgicare by 2 minutes so we ended up in the ER. Strep, Flu and Covid are all negative. THey gave her some meds and said it was just a virus. We didn't get home until after midnight and I had to be in the office yesterday so i had to be up early. I was just exhusted. I came home and slept for about an hour and a half and then went to Nick's band concert. After I got home I went to bed. Elizabeth was good yesterday but was not hungry and then got nauseous as the day went on. Today her throat is hurting a lot again but not as bad as Wednesday so she is staying up on Advil and Tylenol so it doesn't get bad. Her pediatrician is talking about testing her for mono if she doesn't start feeling better. This weekend will be about rest and just getting done what needs to be done.

 

[Oneanne]

OK now on to the craziness from Wednesday. Elizabeth's throat started to hurt and was progressively getting worse as the evening went on. It got to the point that she wouldn't swallow (she could but it hurt to bad) and she refused to talk. I missed getting her to the urgicare by 2 minutes so we ended up in the ER. Strep, Flu and Covid are all negative. THey gave her some meds and said it was just a virus. We didn't get home until after midnight and I had to be in the office yesterday so i had to be up early. I was just exhusted. I came home and slept for about an hour and a half and then went to Nick's band concert. After I got home I went to bed. Elizabeth was good yesterday but was not hungry and then got nauseous as the day went on. Today her throat is hurting a lot again but not as bad as Wednesday so she is staying up on Advil and Tylenol so it doesn't get bad. Her pediatrician is talking about testing her for mono if she doesn't start feeling better. This weekend will be about rest and just getting done what needs to be done.

Sending hugs and hopes that you will find time to rest over the weekend.

 

[Oneanne]

As far as goals go, nope, it has not been a good week. I had a couple low carbs days then went off the rails again. I think next week I'm just going to focus on exercise and burning calories and see if that helps.

For holiday food, we grew up with mincemeat and fruitcake. We're going out to dinner for our Christmas dinner on the 23rd but I'm going to make a mincemeat pie for after, when we're opening presents, but no fruitcake this year... at least not from me.

For weekend plans, at some point I'm going to pick up all the clippings from the pruning I did last weekend, so I can get closer to the plant and whack on it some more. I am also planning on finally going to a little concert at The Grange Saturday evening, which is right down the street from me. Sunday my Niece and I going to Afternoon Tea at the tea shop in town. And I think that Saturday day I'm going to take the ferry over to Whidbey Island and driving to the fancy nursery, not that I need anything but they have a cute little shop that is just so yummy. SO a nice fun busy weekend.

 

[Oneanne]

SOCIAL SATURDAY




Let's chat about favorites. What is your:

... favorite Christmas movie.
... favorite Christmas song.
... favorite Christmas memory.
... favorite Christmas gift you've received.
... favorite Christmas gift you've given.



And a little Christmas joke:

How much did Santa pay for his sleigh?

Spoiler: Answer

Nothing, it was on the house

 

[PollyannaMom]

Let's chat about favorites. What is your:

... favorite Christmas movie.
Oooh, so many!! Miracle on 34th Street, Journey Back to Christmas, and a double-episode of The Waltons called The Children's Carol.
... favorite Christmas song.
We Need a Little Christmas (from Mame)
... favorite Christmas memory.
The year my parents finally got me a cat!
... favorite Christmas gift you've received.
(see above)
... favorite Christmas gift you've given.
A TV for DS

 

[ShannyMcB]

.....favorite Christmas movie.
Muppet family Christmas the original with the full muppet babies section. The streaming version is ok but not the same.
... favorite Christmas song.
Tie between Straight No Chaser's 12 days of Christmas and BNL/Sarah McLachlan We Three Kings
... favorite Christmas memory.
Getting engaged on Christmas eve
... favorite Christmas gift you've received.
DD i found out she was coming Christmas weekend 2017
... favorite Christmas gift you've given.
Not sure will have to think about that

It's been a series of minor frustrations for the last couple days...adding possibly a new washing machine to the new mattress (typed too soon a couple days back), having cashier make a gift card useless because she scratched through a pin number (was able to get a replacement after several emails/phone calls), having a gift order arrived late than have it incomplete....all minor stuff but all occurring within two days was frustrating.
The gift card thing was nuts. She almost messed up the first one and had to type it in 4 times. The second one she obliterated the pin and goes um...you'll need to call the number. Then she looked at my jacket that had my company name on it and asked it I worked there. I answered yes and she starts complaining about something...I said sorry but that isn't my department. Everyone is entitled to their opinions and to express them of course but...the irony of her messing up my payment method and shrugging it off and pointing me to someone else to fix her goof followed by her complaining about my company left me kind of dumbfounded....didn't feel bad answering what she was complaining about wasn't my department after that interaction though!

Not doing good with my food goals but have been making an effort to move more. Started taking 10 min indoor walk breaks at work. Not as good as the 30 minute lunch walks but better than nothing.

 

[Summer2018]

SOCIAL SATURDAY

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Let's chat about favorites. What is your:

... favorite Christmas movie.
... favorite Christmas song.
... favorite Christmas memory.
... favorite Christmas gift you've received.
... favorite Christmas gift you've given.

View attachment 816412

And a little Christmas joke:

How much did Santa pay for his sleigh?

Spoiler: Answer

Nothing, it was on the house

Favorite Christmas movie: "Christmas Vacation" & "Love, Actually"...sooooo many more.
Favorite Christmas song: "Oh Holy Night" sung by Billy Porter...he will make you cry.
Favorite Christmas memory: Midnight candlelit church service singing "Silent Night," no year in particular.
Favorite Christmas gift received: Engagement ring.
Favorite Christmas gift given: Making sure that Santa found our hotel room in Disney World on Christmas Eve...(hid the wrapped gifts deep in the trunk of the car and brought them into our room after she fell asleep).

 

[Oneanne]

... favorite Christmas movie. Not really sure on this one. It used to be Love Actually, then I started to have issues about the inappropriate work behavior and backed off of it. But I recently saw an interview with Bill Nighy where he said he went to that audition as a favor to the casting director, neither of them thinking the part was for him, but he got it and it changed his career, he hasn't had to audition since then. So I am going to make a point to see it again this year, just to see him. Plus our town movie theater is showing Elf next weekend and I'm planning on going, it should be a hoot to see it in a theater with other people.
... favorite Christmas song. Again, can't really pick one but I absolutely love my Christmas compellation that has a mix of everyone from Enya to Celo Green.
... favorite Christmas memory. When my brothers were pre-teens they got this gas cartridge rocket that launched up a spindle and of course set it off in the house before my parents got up... the spindle launched along with the rocket and stuck in the ceiling. I can still feel the "oh sh*t what have we done" shock waves.
... favorite Christmas gift you've received. One year my paternal Grandparents came to Christmas and dumped an entire laundry basket of presents under the tree, mostly things like coloring books and crayons, but it was just so much!
... favorite Christmas gift you've given. One year I bought a crew neck wool sweater and cross stitched flowers on it for my Sister, it turned out really well and she was overwhelmed by it.

Today is extremely stormy, with high winds, rain and very cold temps, to the point where we're just a few degrees away from snow... totally unexpected. The main downtown street is right on the water and it was blowing down there so much so that the wind stopped me from moving forward several times. I stopped by the museum and listened to a wonderful cellist for a bit and in a couple hours I'll walk over to the Grange for that concert, so it has turned into a very musical day.

 

[Oneanne]

SUNDAY SELF CARE



What is on your self-care list for today?

 

[Summer2018]

SUNDAY SELF CARE

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What is on your self-care list for today?

I love this and am proud to say that I have mastered a lot of these.

I am going to church which is a time for me to focus on what’s important. For some unknown reason, the Christmas pageant is taking place during the main service. It’s traditionally always been on Christmas Eve, but maybe they moved it because of families traveling.

Tonight was supposed to be the live nativity, but is being postponed due to severe weather later today.

I finished my Christmas cards yesterday, so after lunch I will begin baking Christmas cookies to be decorated next week. DD may be out of town again which is disappointing. The only thing she was here for was putting up the living room tree on Thanksgiving. I’m trying to manage my emotions and be realistic about it. She is a very busy adult. At least she will be with me on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. BF is spending the entire week with us.