WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR DECEMBER 2015

Grits~ That is awesome that you can appreciate skinny jeans, but still appreciate all you have gone thru to get to where you are today. My mantra in my head has been "to walk thru this world with grace and be willowy". I think if I was Less of Me, then I would be more sure of myself, more sure-footed that is for certain. I have some black leggings that are fleece lined. I have worn them under my sweats on cold walking days. Very comfy.
Pip~ ((((hugs))) I can appreciate the importance of sleeping with your mate. For me, it grounds me, and is a nice way to end the day. You have been thru so much, yet you are always moving forward. Your past brought you to this moment. Your past has made you appreciate every moment like a gift. So let the "now" stand on its own. You and Kirby are survivors. It has a way of changing how you look at life, that is for sure. (((hugs)))).
Becca

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barbiecat wrote: »

We have two TVs and headphones for each so it's possible to have someone watch TV while other things are going on in the same room. We have two bathrooms. We have two bedrooms and more often than not, sleep in separate rooms at night. When we take afternoon naps we sleep together in the king size bed with all the pets. We are each on our own for all meals except at midday and we plan that one ahead of time together with all our health and calorie issues kept in mind. We also have separate computers. Life doesn't get any better than this.

Cheri NE Ohio

Becca - and you do your job very well.

Janetr okc

Thx Annr for your words, u r wise beyond your years

New app puts a twist on a pic

pipcd34 wrote: »

New app puts a twist on a pic

Wow! Looks like a portrait. Very nice.

Cheri

pip - my heart goes out to you

Mia and Janet - wouldn't the shingles vaccination be covered 100% under Obamacare since it's preventive?

Did another segment of the Butt Lift DVD. This was a short one, I think probably only about 5 minutes. Then held my plank for 2 min 46 sec. Yes, that's the same time as last week. Maybe next week I'll be able to add another second. Then the extremepump class.

The plan for tomorrow is to do some HIIT. HIIT burns more calories, and at this time of year, I certainly can use extra calorie burn.

janet - when my kids were litle they had the chickenpox and they kindly shared them with their father. Even taking care of the kids and sleeping with the biggest kid, I never got them. So I'm assuming that I must have had them (or at least a mild case of them) when I was too small to remember. Sounds like you're going to be having a wonderful Christmas. How I envy you! I, too, try to freeze as much as I can, but the fish really can't be made ahead of time. However, I will probably do all the prep work the day before so all I have to do is put it in the oven. Fortunately, it doesn't take very long in the oven. I think I've only been to one cookie swap. As I recall, I made only one kind of cookie and then brought multiple dishes of it (like maybe 6 plates of them). Everyone else makes one type of cookie and brings multiple dishes. You give them one of your dishes and you take one of theirs. What I didn't like was that sometimes I got cookies that I didn't like and/or couldn't eat. Here's the nutritionals (and recipe) for the cheese sausage cheese balls I make, they are diet friendly (and tasty)


3 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1 pound bulk pork sausage
4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (16 ounces)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley or 1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease bottom and sides of jelly roll pan, 15 1/2x10 1/2x2x1 inch.
2. Stir together all ingredients, using hands or spoon. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Place in pan.
3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brown. Immediately remove from pan. Serve warm with sauce for dipping.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft) Heat oven to 375ºF. Decrease Bisquick to 2 1/2 cups; stir in 1/2 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour. Bake 25 to 30 minutes.


Do-Ahead Tip
Want to make these savory cheese balls ahead? Your options are many! You can:
Cover and refrigerate unbaked balls up to 24 hours. Bake as directed.
Cover and freeze unbaked balls up to 1 month. Heat oven to 350ºF. Place frozen balls on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until brown.
Bake as directed; cover and freeze up to 1 month. Heat oven to 350ºF. Place frozen balls on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until heated through.
Bake as directed; cover and freeze up to 1 month. Place 6 frozen balls on microwavable plate. Loosely cover with waxed paper. Microwave on High 45 seconds to 1 minute or until heated through.
Success
It's true. You don't need to cook the sausage before using it when making this recipe.
Nutrition Information:
1 Cheese Ball: Calories 40 (Calories from Fat 25); Total Fat 2 1/2g (Saturated Fat 1 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 5mg; Sodium 95mg; Total Carbohydrate 2g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 0g); Protein 2g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 0%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 4%;

Must be the cream cheese that increases the calorie count. I've even taken these to Mexican Train, and others will eat them.


Heather - very few of my cookies end up in the trash. What Vince will eat, I keep for him. The others I divide and have to give to the Y and the place where I take the extremepump class. The rest get donated to the soup kitchen. Then at least they're out of my house. To me, it just seems weird not to have family gatherings/parties, etc at your house but rather rent a place for multiple days. Like Bryan's wedding reception lasted for 3 days. To me, that's excessive. But you had your hubby's birthday at another place for multiple days. Guess that's the way things are done over there. Are you feeling OK? "All urge to cook has fled"


Lenora - the Wii keeps telling me that a healthy weight for me would be about 116lbs. That's not going to happen -- at least not in this lifetime. My doc has never told me what weight I should be at, probably because he knows that I'd counter him with "how can you say a number and not take into account muscle mass? I have a pair of these fleece lined leggings for my elf costume. They are a small and I really should have a medium. Unfortunately, there's not a tag or anything inside of them to tell me who the manufacturer is.

Penny - many times when we have a present that's too big, we take a picture of it and wrap the picture. Like last year we gave Jess a TV. There was no way we could wrap that. This year we sent Denise a blowdryer before Christmas because hers was shorting out so she could use the new one. We took a picture of it before we sent it to her and wrapped that.

Betty - I fully undertand your feelings about your daughter. I know that I'll most likely never see Bryan again. I probably won't even be told about any children that he may have, much less get to see them (even by Skype). Heck, when Vince had his heart operation, Bryan never even called to say "is daddy OK, how did the operation go". when the kids were little I had stockings (crochet) made with each of their names on it. It pains me when I see his. As far as I know, he hasn't gotten anything for the girls for christmas. So I totally understand what you're feeling. I'm crying as I type this. To anyone who is concerned about the miles between you and your child, be happy that they're on the same continent as you! Enough.......

I got these Dove mint candies for 1/2 price (plus I used a coupon), so I'll take them to the senior bowling along with the spinach/feta. Vince already told me that it probably won't be eaten and I've told him that I don't care, I don't mind bringing it home.

Irish Terry - WTG on that coat. Bet it looks great on you. Loved the poem, nice message.

Chris - good for you coming back, poor elliptical (lol). Congrats on the no more bp meds. How wonderful that you have a man in your life! Life sure is good

Cheryl - so sorry to hear about your MIL. You've been missed. Congrats on the weight loss!

Miriam - each year someone always gets underwear. This year it'll be Jess' new BF of the moment. You are so good to those girls, I'm sure they'll never forget it.

Mia - the spinach feta is on Skinny Taste. Oh, I took two of them to the senior bowling Christmas party. Vince said that they wouldn't get eaten. I also took some Dove mint candies. He said they'd be totally gone. Well, at the end of the party when I picked up my plate of the spinach feta, there were 2 pieces left which I eventually gave to one gal who said she really like it. there were quite a few of the Dove left behind. Goes to show ya..... You put a smile on my face as to why doctors "practice"

Vicki - prayers for your husband

Mindy - that was so nice of your ex to do

erinden - welcome to a great group

Kim - our Christmas Eve is non-meat, all fish. This is the one time in the year when I make pierogi from scratch. Maybe it wasn't me. I may have commented on what to have for Christmas dinner. But in the meantime Denise's flight was changed so we will need to leave to take her to the airport at about 11 which means we won't get home until around 3 or 4. I honestly don't have anything bought.

Michele in NC

wow, OK I have changed a wee bit from one year to the next.
Last Christmas:


Sept 2015:



Becca

Becca, you look so much happier in your new you. Congrats.

Betty, I know my situation isn't as drastic as yours but I remember when my daughter was pregnant with her 1st. She lived about 300 miles away, yes I know that's a lot different than you and your daughter, and I worried so much about how it would work out to be a long distance grandma. She was such a terrific Mom, she was always showing pictures of us and all extended family, even the ones she didn't really like that much. She showed respect that they were part of her dad's family therefore respect them. They talked daily about all of us, what we were doing, relating what her home was like. I sent her a Fisher Price book that was just for babies. It had only ab out 4 front and back pages for pictures and was made for babies to look, even chew on. At first I tried to get as many people as I could get in it and then my very wise Mother told me it needed to be immediate family, that was all Trinities mind could handle at the time. That book went with them pretty much everywhere. In fact when we had them for spring break and the youngest was 4 that was one of the books she wanted me to 'read' to her at night. Teeth marks all over it and all. We also got a talking picture frame with our picture in it and sent a message to them. When we would go to their house we would make sure we changed the message. So all my fears went away. But that was from only 300 miles. Skype and Face time on our iPads are wonderful. my youngest took 'us' all around her house sometimes and just showed us everything that was important to a 5 year old.

Thanks for listening to me yesterday. Yes, holidays can be that way. The Christmas a couple of months before Mom died was real hard on her. She was in so much pain, she rarely even got out of her apartment to go to the dining room to eat. So she did a rare thing. she actually let Michelle lift her mobility chair and put it in her car to where we were holding our celebration. That chair went no where! Anyway, that place is the place we are using this year and more than likely every year from now on. It is inexpensive, it is the fellowship hall of our local Baptists association. Many churches rent it for a summer party, it has 2 stoves so it has lots of places for us to cook. My poor old stove has one oven rack and only one large burner. Also, lots of pots and pans. But it was the one we had Mom's last Christmas at and I know the reason and it is still tender on my heart. I have a brother that his family 'adopted' an adult man. He had spina bifida and lived in a group home because his family rejected him. He is very insecure and would sometimes come for Christmas and sometimes wouldn't. My sister finally told my brother that if he wanted to feel like part of the family then he needed to be with us. But on 'that' Christmas he practised real hard for a long time to learn some carols that we could sing along with. Well he didn't do to good at all and there was some unfortunate snickering. I don't like to admit it but some of my own family was part of it. My SIL is very protective of him as she should be, got really mad, they all left in tears and left a very insecure 14 year old to represent his family and get all their gifts and then we took his back to their hotel. So there are a lot of bad memories there. And that is why I chose this place. I want to replace those bad memories with wonderful ones.

I am finished with my Christmas shopping, my tree is now up, the few decorations I do are in place. I still have to wrap everything but Michelle wants to come over one day this week and have a wrapping party. I may have to go to utube and watch that video of ribbon and bow making to make my gifts look better. They are typically wrapped very flat, no bow and a name written on them. Boring!!!

I am looking forward to Barbie's word of the year!

Penny, I have heard a little of your storm over there and am anxious to be ready to talk about it.

I have only tried one cookie exchange and it was such a failure I never want to try one again. Mary, I liked seeing men get involved in your cookie decorating. That is not seen in my house!

Joyce, Indiana

Michelle - I have never known anyone who has had a party like my DH's. It was wonderful, but from my point of view, NEVER AGAIN!
I'm not sure if I'm OK. :ohwell: Just not feeling in holiday mood. Today I will cook and freeze the curry for my son and I expect DH will make his menu for next week for freezing. I don't know what to cook for tonight. Probably sea bass. Got to make brandy butter to take up to London, to go with the Christmas pudding we made in November.

Last night we had a HUGE mound of broccoli from our garden plants. Gorgeous. I am trying to lose the pesky pound I put on in Montpellier.

Was awake for 3 hours in the night.

One thing I want to do is arrange a to have a coffee with my yoga friend. It will be tea. :laugh: Strictly no eating and no present swapping! Just a nice chat. I would suggest a walk, but everywhere is waterlogged, even the lanes.

Becca - I love the way you have transformed yourself. You remind me of women in WW2 in Britain. Making the very best of yourself with very little money. :flowerforyou:

Nice effects Pip! Are you going to frame it?

Love to all, Heather UK

i am realizing I have a touch of the Christmas blues. I am not feeling up to responding to others' posts and dreading what I still have to do for Christmas, just wishing it was over. And I am eating too much bad stuff. Often, recognizing it helps get it under control.

Pip ... What a cool picture! Easily could turn that into a Christmas card! What app does that?

Becca ... An amazing transformation! Just so you know, I've adopted you too!

I'm really disappointed in myself ... Have let myself backslide too far. And even though I know the next 10 days will be brutal food-wise I'm starting over ...again ... This morning. Plan to keep all of you in mind as I go through the day.



Beth

Exercise 3 days a week for 30 min, drink more water......Fort Mill SC