Tis the day before Thanksgiving and the kitchen is clean!

I'm sure that today is the last day I can say that until next year!

Tomorrow officially starts the chaos at our house ... when the Turkey is put away, the Christmas madness starts ... the Christmas boxes are already downstairs ready to be unpacked.  I absolutely LOVE Christmas decorations!  I love the all the little bits of glitter ... the tinsel ... bows ... bright colors ... we definitely go a bit over the top.  The lights are already up outside ... and we will finally plug them in tomorrow.  HOA be damned!

We are having Thanksgiving at my mom & dad's house just around the corner. We have tweaked the menu to make it plan friendlier ... We have added a few things and deleted a few ...

Its still going to be a lot of food, too much food actually but I am hoping that everyone enjoys the new additions and doesn't mind the missing favorites ... and maybe just maybe we can cut back on the "won't touches" next year. 

What I'm really excited about is ... This weekend... big plans ... We are having a Christmas Craft day!  We will have 5 little ones at the house making Christmas Presents, Place-mats, Baskets/Bowls, Bath-Bombs, and a bunch of other goodies.   Ages 18mo-7year.  Pray for us! We have 90,000 Perler beads ready!  See why I know my kitchen will not be clean again?

Last year I opened my mouth and said we really should have a home-made Christmas ... I begged and badgered everyone in to agreeing that "IF" you are going to exchange a gift with an adult it has to be hand/home-made.  Cool right?  12 months later?  Not so cool!  I have 1 gift made ... Almost. 

Hubby is making Checker Boards for the guys, I was making re-useable machine washable shopping bags ... but that bored me to tears... so I'm on the hunt for a new idea... 

REMIND SELF ... KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!!!

Well I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving ... hug your family tight ... make lots of memories and remember that a moment on your lips and forever on your hips!!!! 

                                                                                                                                    

Why our Tradition needs to change

 For the last week I have been searching blogs and Pinterest to find alternatives to our normal Traditional menu ... My hubby and I are the only ones that are on a Low Carb -High Fat - no Sugar - No Grains -Real Food program ... however since hubby & I cook a good portion of the meal ... I would like to create a new traditional menu that we can feel good about sharing and one that will satisfy everyone's need to indulge or if I'm honest over-indulge. And I don't want anyone to leave feeling cheated of their holiday.
 
Our Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner

We usually have dinner at my mom's house, because mom doesn't decorate for Christmas much anymore ... so ... we have Thanksgiving at her house and Christmas at mine.... Mom & Dad actually live just around the corner (18 houses away) ... so my hubby and I do most of the cooking at home while he is watching the Lions loose ... Oh I mean play ... Dinner usually starts about 2 o/clock when hubby gets done crying about the Lions Game... (you know what the "L" really stands for right?)

So we cook:
Hubby's Beer Can Turkey ... 2 at least ... The  Best Bread Stuffing Ever ... Mashed Potatoes & scratch Gravy ... Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots ... Fresh baked bread
Cranberry sauce from scratch. Then my daughter brings the Green Bean Casserole and my SIL brings Candied Yams and then my mom makes  Granny's Cornbread Stuffing Pickled Sweet Carrots and provides olives, pickles, nuts, crackers etc. AND depending on who mom loves the most at that moment LOL we will either have my favorite Eggplant casserole or my brother's favorite Corn Chowder and if we have both been attentive and sweet ... both!

Then once you have had your fill ... and I mean your fill of this ... while my daughters and I are washing dishes, they break out the deserts if  they haven't already snitched a plate full ... Pecan Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Pie, Humming Bird Cake, , Brownies, Buck-eyes, Banana Pudding, Apple Pie ... cookies ... fruit cake ... SEE's Candy (minus my favorite- it never makes it to the table)  then what ever my sister-in-law brings.  honestly this doesn't cover the list of sweets! 

Now I did mention that we start eating about 2 o/clock ... that's because we need time to be able to re-graze through everything one more time before we start dividing up the left-overs ... Now I haven't admitted to you that for every pecan pie that I take over to mom's I've made one for just hubby and I and left at home.  I don't have pictures to show you of the massive amounts of food that I take to mom's or the tons of food that I have stuffed in the back of the fridge just in-case I don't get enough left overs to bring home.

Is there any wonder why I weighed 278lbs last year?  Actually I think I gained a couple of pounds just writing about it!!!

I know I am not at a place in my eating that I can say its okay ... one day ... one meal ... it will be Okay!  Just last Sunday ... Hubby and I decided that we would buy some gluten free ... "healthy-fied" tortilla chips & salsa to eat while we watch the game ... the bag was 8 servings ... I ate the bag!  THE ENTIRE BAG!  And remember that I told you I have a talking scale?   Well that B#!@*$ called me out on it this morning ... 4 ... yes 4 pounds!!!!  222.2 lbs. 

Not really depressed-just really down... but working it out ... Have you read anything about Lipo-Light?  There is a Wellness Lounge here in town that are promoting it ... and I'm seriously thinking about it... what do you think?  I have an appointment to check it out.  

I gave up but didn't give in.

January 10, 2014 I gave up! 

I gave up all grains ... wheat ... rice ... and corn. 

I gave up added sugar ... soda's ... and grilled cheese.

I gave up mashed potatoes, french fries & pasta.

I gave up grilled cheese, macaroni & cheese.

I gave up chile beans, lasagna, & enchiladas.


I may have gave up ... but I will not give in!








 

Random thoughts of thanks

I am thankful that my brother shared a diet book with me.

Before

I am thankful that my husband loves me enough to let me turn our world upside down. I am thankful that my husband is willing to try anything once. 

I'm thankful for the bloggers that share their journeys so openly and honestly.  Reading about your struggles and triumphs remind me that I'm not alone in this. 

I am thankful that I have found a few really knowledgeable and inspirational bloggers that I can follow and learn from.

I am thankful that I no longer weigh 278lbs.


I am thankful that I have 2 awesome daughters that don't get tired of listening to the numbers I'm down or up and that they are supportive and eager to help me improve my health, body and wardrobe!

I am thankful that I can touch my toes! Yes I'm finding my feet again... boy do they need a pedicure!

I am thankful that my husband & I both have jobs so I can spend our money on frivolous items like his & her total gyms, stationary bikes, fitbits, new running shoes, fancy supportive socks, digital food scale, talking scales, Vita-mix blenders ... and clothes!!! And again I'm thankful that my husband loves me enough to try anything once!

Midway

I'm thankful every night that my husband helps chop all those veggies!  

I am thankful that I am getting stronger all the time.  My grandsons are getting bigger and bigger and when they reach up and say hugs Ganny ... I am thankful that I can swoop them up ... both of them at times ... and give them that hug!  (which usually means Ganny I'm tired ... carry me).

 I'm thankful that I could fit in a pair of size 16 jeans.  First time in 37 years!

I'm thankful! 

I'm thankful!

Life is getting better and better!