OK I had typed up a long post and hit post and then it asked me to log in - looks like my first one is gone.  Abbreviated version.  Good day 30 minutes of cardio kettle ball stuff, good eating day yummy JC salsbury steak for dinner.  Got an upgrade to a DVR so now I can tape my Martha and Oprah if I can figure out how to use it.  still have about 3 pounds to lose by Sat am wi.  Going out for drinks tomorrow but sticking to non wine drinks probably club soda.  Hope everyone out there is trying to stick with it until Xmas 23 days until the big day.

I decided that since I am bringing an appetizer to the party on Friday that I would make something that is healthy, then I remembered I had these low fat crescent rolls and decided to try some stuff so - Here is what I came up with

If you take a square that is the equivalent of 2 rolls = 180 calories and then cut it into 16 squares put each of those little squares in a mini muffin pan  - I did not grease the pan first - don't make that mistake, spray it with Pam stuff or something.  Then I tried different fillings I chopped up green onions and shitakes and nuked them with a little chicken broth and white wine so minimal calories I put a tiny bit of laughing cow or low fat cream cheese then the onion mixture then a little egg beaters.  For another one I used 1/4 of a laughing cow wedge and cranberry sauce left over from Thanksgiving.  I also have this roasted garlic onion jam from Stonewall Kitchen that I put with the lf cream cheese.  These three were all really good.  I also made the crescent rolls around the weiners.  I just used the nitrate free turkey dogs from Applegate Farms the first batch I cut them into just 4 sections but they were too big so then I cut them into 8 sections which was much more manageable.  I also put a little strip of low fat cheese singles.  These were pretty good with mustard on them.  The hotdogs only have 45 calories each so if you cut them into 8 pcs that is 5.6 calories each - wow then I made strips by cutting the rectangle of 2 rolls into 8 strips 24 calories each then I think the 50 calorie cheese into 6 strips so about 37.6 calories each.  I think the mini quiche type things were about 20 calories each, I need to look at how I cut the crescent rolls again.  

I was really glad to have the DH to eat about 75% of the tests - I had a great day I did about an hour of cardio and some pushups and light weights.  I have eaten on plan all day and am getting ready to make some tea.  The weather here is sh--  Snowed about 6 inches last night and no thaw in sight for 4 or 5 days.  Oh and they just said more snow on the way - can't wait.  

 Well I am done with Turkey and all the trimmings.  Had a really nice Thanksgiving - ate way too much of everything and the wine.  Went shopping a little the next day did OK we went out for lunch and I had a tiny little salad, not by choice but then a bowl of minestrone.  I also had bread no butter.  Did a lot of walking around and worked out that morning.  I also went to the gym on Saturday.  Skipped it today as I had people coming over for turkey that I made.  It was a tasty bird if I do say so myself.  Herb butter under the skin made gravy which turned out great too.  Mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, and homemade rolls.  Oh let's not forget the tarte tatin.  Anyway I am on the couch and thinking that I need to take it really easy tomorrow.  I will be at the gym first thing tomorrow morning.  I sent most of the leftovers home with my guests but I need to do some purging of my kitchen.  I need to put my baking supplies away since I don't need to do any baking for at least 10 days.  I managed to cut myself pretty badly yesterday and today I burned the other hand so I hope I will be able to grip the kettleballs.  I an thinking of buying one for home, I don't know if they sell them at the store or it is only internet.  You would think I never cooked.  

My newest goal is to really recommit myself for the next 3 weeks before Xmas and try to get another 5 or 6 pounds off.  My pants are feeling slightly looser and I really need to cement that and during this past weekend it really felt like a slippery slope.  I am going to a Xmas party on Friday and I am not going to drink and come up with an eating plan so I stay away from dessert.  I am also going to look into some new exercise plan - I long for my 26 mile bike ride days.  Won't be doing that in the snow tomorrow.

Well I just finished making cranberry sauce.  I really love homemade cranberry sauce so I always make it.  It is really good mixed with lf mayo and on turkey sandwiches.  I am baking tomorrow I am making Chocolate gingerbread.  It is a Nigella recipe and the name really doesn't do it justice It is a really gooey moist cake that is chocolaty and gingery with chocolate chips and a ginger glaze on top.  the best part is it is easy to make and little clean up.  You make it in a rectangle cake pan that you just line with parchment.  When the cake is cooked you just let it cool and pull it out of the pan with the paper and your cake pan is still clean.  I have been looking for a platter to put it on since I am taking it to my cousins, for whatever reason I don't have any rectangle platters.  For Turkey day the DH and I are driving to Peoria - about 2.5 hours.  They actually live a little outside Peoria out in the sticks, lots of land but Peoria is the closest place you all would know.  We are also taking the dog and spending the night.  My Great Aunt and her husband and my Mom are spending the night too.  Full house - my cousin also has 5 kids + one from her husbands first marriage.  The oldest 2 don't live in Peoria anymore but Sarah - the wedding in TX - will be in with her husband.   My grandma is coming too - she is 87 but one of the younger cousins is driving her home the same day she lives in IA in the town I grew up in.  My cousin also has 5 brothers but I think only one is coming but there is also family from her husbands side.  I have a really big family on my Mom's side just thought you would want to know that.  

On the diet and exercise front everything seems to be going well I went to my dinner party on Sat night after my wi and drank plenty that was also not the best eating day but I did go to the gym that day and Sunday.  I got back on track Sun, Mon, and Tues - go me and my scale says I am down 1.2 since my wi.  But never fear no good deed goes.... TOM will be here in the next couple of days, I guess the good thing is that it will be gone by the next wi.  I made it for 2 weeks since I couldn't imagine going there on Sat after 2 days at the food and drinking fest that will be going on at my cousins.  I did kind of mess up though, We have a big Xmas party the Fri before my 7am wi.  Oh well I just need to buck up and not drink that night.  If I am allowing myself such liberties at Thanksgiving I will just need to suck it up right?  I will get all my workouts in Thurs and Fri - My cousin actually has an indoor pool.  I also do plan on restraining myself and only splurging for the actual Thanksgiving meal.  I am taking my yogurt and ff Half and Half for my tea in the morning.  I am off to the gym in the morning and then to the store that sells large amounts of chocolate, I need 2 lbs for a Jacques Torres chocolate cookie recipe.  I figured out a new way to post albums from my Apple so I am hoping I can find a way to post them directly from this laptop to this blog and then you all would get more photos.  My plan is to blog tomorrow too so I will try, hope everyone is going to have a great Thanksgiving. 

Sorry - wow I cannot believe it has been a week.  Just back from JC and down another 1.8 - OK I still have not lost all 9 pounds I gained in France, I have been back 5 weeks.  I am pretty pathetic.  Anyway off to the gym and I have been there the last 6 days.  Tonight going to a dinner party - that equals lots of wine.  I am going to Peoria for Thanksgiving so no wi next week, 2 weeks on my own can I do it or will it be disaster.  Gotta run the DH is redy to go.  I will try to post more later.

 Well once again nothing exciting to report 1.4 pounds - the same thing every week, the day before my scale was down about 3 pounds and then on Friday I ate totally on plan went for a hour bike ride, no weights but somehow I "gained" by the time I got to JC at 7am. 

 I went to Pinot Days Sat afternoon I drank most of my calories that day.  It was a lot of fun and really nice wine for $40.  I did go to the gym after Jenny on Sat - worked pretty hard, 30 min of cardio but then lots of reps with the kettlebells.  I was sore yesterday and still today.  

Yesterday no exercise I did a lot of cooking/baking.  I made Lemon White Chocolate mini tea bread - it made 4, froze 2, gave one away and the DH and I ate 1.  I also made a fall veg ragout - yum Squash, onion, garlic, brussel sprouts, apples, and cabbage, barley and chix stock with thyme, bay leaf, basil and a little sage.  I just slow cooked it in a big LeCrueset pan in the oven for about 2 hours.  I also slow cooked some pork in beer in a seperate pot so the DH could add meat to his.  I also made jeruselum artichoke (sunchoke)soup.  You peel them and cut them into cubes and drop them into the warm broth and milk combo then they don't turn brown.  So I started by sauteing onion and celery in a little olive oil then added the broth and peeled the sunchokes and then cooked it until all tender and then puree.  Yum!  So lots of leftovers which I am avoiding today.  I had my oatmeal and yogurt for breakfast and then going to have my Jenny meal for lunch but tonight another soiree - the Food and Wine entertaining showcase at the MCA.  We went last year and it was great.  All the best restaurants in Chicago are there and you get a little sample of their food.  It wasn't over crowded and you did not have to wait in long lines and there is plenty of wine too.  I will report back tomorrow on how it actually is.  I am currently baking the loaf of Mark Bittman bread I mixed up yesterday.  It has been decent but I am trying to get it perfect.  It is only bread flour, salt and yeast so fat free but like all bread lots of carbs.  I usually just eat 1/2 slice for breakfast a couple days a week.  Luckily the DH loves it and eats a lot of sandwiches for lunch.  I also cubed up the the others I made to have for Thanksgiving stuffing.  Watching Martha and Jamie Oliver is on, I have the cookbook he is making recipes from.  They all look so good, I may try an apple salad but modify the dressing - uh no creme fraiche for me and certainly cannot make a dressing with 3 parts olive oil to 1 part vinegar.  Anyway my timer just went off got to take the bread out.   

Well the electrician did show up early - 7am he had said 8 but he got everything done/fixed and I now have light in my living room so I can knit, read, or even just see in general.  Took a day off from exercise today it was warmish too so kind of bummed I did not get the bike ride in but he was here for 4 hours  Then I was cleaning up after his mess and started on a cleaning terror, I spent 1.5 hours scrubbing and cleaning the floor and baseboards in my hall.  That provided some exercise and I did a lot of squating and bending over - I am even a little sore tonight.  Anyway ate all meals at home and no wine - doing so well this week.  Tomorrow is the last day before the wi and no plans to go out - I am actually thinking it could be a good week.  Since the electrician woke me up this morning did not have time to wi at home or even eat breakfast.  I ended up having a half of a box of raisins and like 2 bites of bread until lunch.    That is all I have to report I am off to finish knitting a scarf for my nephew.  

OK  had a couple of new things today that were really good.  Remember I stocked up on SF Torani syrup the other day well new flavor SF gingerbread - OMG it was so good in my tea this morning highly recommend if you like a spicy gingerbread.  Also tonight for dinner the new Green Giant frozen steamers - the one I ate tonight was Asian Medley, mostly broccoli with red pepper and water chesnuts but the sauce was really good, an orangy ginger anyway whole package has about 150 calories,split it with the DH and I added mine to my JC Potsticker dinner.  I was super busy today but the DH and I went for a 13 mile bike ride in the misty rain.  The temp was good for my cold weather gear but my backside was completely soaked when we were done.  I was glad to be able to bike outside though it is so much better then the gym.  Tomorrow my electrician is coming at 8 am - I know again, his wife had a medical emergency the other day.  So it will probably be the gym in the afternoon.  

I also made Tarte Tatin today - it turned out really good, I had about 3 bites, my niece had a piece, the DH had about 1.5 pieces  and I took about a third over to my neighbors.  I made the DH put the rest away and I don't know where it is.  It is a recipe from a French cooking mag I bought when we were there.  It is the DH's favorite dessert.  I was going to take a pic but too lazy to go downstairs to get the camera.  Maybe tomorrow

Just another day trying to exercise and eat right.  Went out for lunch but ate all good stuff, broccoli soup, and 1/2 portion of whole wheat pasta with veg.  I went to the gym and did 50 minutes of cardio no weights today.  I got a couple of nagging errands run today in the rain.  Made it to Fleet Feet to get the special laundry detergent, World Market to get my SF Torani syrup with a 10% off coupon that ended today, also went to Michael's to get some Martha Stewart craft stuff.  I need to work on the Xmas stuff now that I have new glitter.  Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer and Thursday too if the rain can stop I can get a bike ride in with my cold weather gear.  I had my JC salsbury steak  for dinner with a salad and green beans.  

I also called the Dog Dental place today - oy I love love love my dog but this is getting ridiculous.  The appt the other day was $230 with the blood work, the dental place is $500-$700 for a cleaning that is without an Xray or extractions so probably closer to $1500 and then they want us to take him to the dog cardiologist before they do anything since he has a murmur, he is 12 and a Beagle pretty common.  BTW the blood work came back that everything is great .  I want to say the cardiologist would run $500-$750 OK that is over $2000 for the dog's teeth I think I really cannot see why this should be sooo pricey.  Do you ever just feel like you are getting taken, what about the crappy economy do they really think I should pay that much.  It is more than my health care costs for a year and I cannot even deduct his on my taxes.  OK enough Vet venting, hope everyone is having a good day!!

Well I did not go to the gym this morning because the electrician was coming early to fix all my little issues - it is almost 9 is he here??  No of course not, I am going to call but I have to find his number.  I am going to go make some tea in the meantime.  I did make it to the gym both Sat and Sun it has gotten really cold here - 36 this morning.  I am bound and determined to use my new biking gloves at least a couple times but it needs to be in the upper 40's or 50's I think.  Anyway did good with the working out and just OK with eating but of course on Sunday morning my scale was down 2 pounds from my official WI on Sat.  Next Saturday we are going to Pinot Days - obviously a chance for me to drink wine.  Pinot is the DH's favorite grape so we are really going because he wants to I keep telling myself that.  I have a ton of errands to do today but I am going to get them done, I have to make it to the sport store because I am out of the laundry detergent to wash my workout clothes in.  I am going to buy 2 this time and look online to see if it doens't come in a larger size.  I also need cinnamon and need to start doing some holiday baking to put in the freezer.  You can make cookie dough and roll it into the logs and freeze it.  It is great when I want to have the kids come over to bake.  Then I have swap outs so they can mix the dough but we don't have to wait 3 hours for it to chill.  Here is a pic from the Monaco harbor, it helps to warm me up today