Appropriately tired this morning, after our long, active day yesterday.  Pooooooped.  Taking the day off.  Theme of the day: Nothin' Doin'.

Had class this morning, then walked all over two malls and from one end of Ann Arbor (GO BLUE!!!) to the other. 

Mostly spinning these days.  I've seriously fallen in love with these classes.  Weight seems to be effortlessly falling off with the combination of 600 calories/hour three days a week, walking, and a healthy diet. 
New Years has been uneventful.  We got a new mattress, and it's fantastic (especially after sleeping for years on the $499 bargain special we bought in Burlington the first week we moved to VT -- because our king wouldn't fit up the stairs). 

Not much else to report.  Happy New Year!

Where did my four day weekend go?  Back at it again tomorrow, but only two real days of seeing patients this week.  Another four day weekend awaits!  Hooray!

Less stepping, and more spinning happening lately.  I also really need to look into how to convert "steps" from an elliptical machine.  I haven't been able to bring myself to get on the treadmill lately -- just SO sick of it.  I need to switch things up.  I may be becoming a Spinning addict.  It's so darn efficient!  600 calories in a fun, action-packed hour.  We'll see how I feel after my class at 5:15 a.m. tomorrow.

On the home front, I am besieged by laundry.  Crazy weather in this portion of the US.  I can't believe that a week ago, we had ten inches of snow on the ground.  Snow is all gone, and last night we had sustained winds of almost 60 miles per hour.  Still windy, but better now.  We did get a glimpse of the sun today.  That's something!

Photo:  The two generations of brothers.  Jeff (dh), nephew Nathan (Godson!), Jason (Jeff's brother), and nephew Justin (namesake!)

Merry Christmas to all!  I have walked a mile in my kitchen already.  I'm in charge of potatoes -- a very serious business in this family.  Cheesy and roasted will be served.  YUM!
Hot buttered rum in crockpot, and dough for Russian Butter Cookies is chilling (Ukrainian Christmases aren't the same without them).  Hubby is watching Star Wars.  A nice morning, all in all. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdKmnzFQmbk

Daphne as Cindy Lou Who.

Terrible day at work.  Short-handed, over-loaded, and overwhelmed.  On top of leaving 2 hours late, working straight through lunch (that would be 10 hours straight), and all of the other poopy things that happened today, my normally 30 minute drive home took me a whopping 1:45 minutes due to weather and traffic.  *SIGH*  Thank goodness tomorrow is only a half day.  Can't wait to begin the Holiday.

Giving my poor butt and legs a break after the last two days of serious workouts.  Holy moly... you think you're in shape, then you go x-country skiing, and duck walk up a few hills on skis.  That'll humble you... =)
It is bitterly cold here.  Bitter.  Did I say bitter?  I'm talking COLD. 

I have to share this video one of my group of "chicken friends" shared with me (see earlier chicken post).  This is a beautiful composition written about women and friendship.  I'm not sure if men will be able to relate in quite the same way, but the message is nice, all the same.  Get your tissues ready.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXe5K4vNvSA

photo: this is how Daphne deals with the cold.  She's got the right idea.  She loves the heat.

Not too much more snow, but now there is a lot of drifting.  Hard to keep it off the roads that way...
Had my first spin class this morning.  Between skiing yesterday, and spinning today, I am POOPED.  Day of rest tomorrow (with the exception of work).  That said, Spinning is great!  Exhilarating class.  I like the class approach -- it helps push me beyond where I would take myself.  It's nice to know what I can do. 

photo: Jeff and I on the trail yesterday.  Brrrr!

Here is proof that snow can be fun:

http://www.dogwork.com/dogsnow/


Have begun counting calories again... It's always good to remind yourself of what a true serving of cereal looks like. 

Yummy breakfast discovery:
Cottage Cheese Yogurt Thingy
    * 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese
    * 1/2 cup non-fat vanilla yogurt
    * 2 teaspoons Splenda sugar substitute
    * 1/2 cup strawberries

Directions
      Mix together and eat.

When I use Breakstones Small Curd 2% Milkfat Cottage Cheese, Horizon Plain Fat Free Yogurt, add 1/4 cup Kashi Go Lean and 1/4 cup frozen blackberries (omitting the strawberries), I end up with a neat 217 calorie breakfast, with 16 grams of protein.  You can play with this, of course.  I use my little Braun handmixer and whip the yogurt and cottage cheese together.  It's nice and creamy, and *sort of* tastes a bit like cheese cake. 
X-Country skiing today!!!  YIPPEE!!!  I spent part of the evening digging through our box of gear, brushing off the snow pants and my trusty Swik gloves.  Can't wait to get out there.  Fortifying with cup of strong coffee, then off I go to suit up.  YAY!!!

Photo: Back from skiing.  Even our shadows are in love.

Estimated, so far...
Most of my effort has been involved in snow removal of some shape or form today.  I actually had to go out in this nonsense, to reschedule all of the patients.  We won't go into details, but suffice it to say it wasn't worth it and I will NEVER drive in to work during a blizzard again.   

Now I am home, and am going to take advantage of the day by cleaning and finishing up the laundry.  Tomorrow, if the roads are clear, we are heading out to do some x-country skiing.  Tomorrow night is our neighborhood Christmas Open House.  I love our very festive neighborhood... we even had little Carolers the other day.

Photo:
Sam with a snow beard, about an hour ago. 

so far...
New office baseline?  Wowza... that's low.  Granted, we saw a bunch of people today, and I'm the check-out gal.  I spend way more time on my butt scheduling appointments for tests, chemo and surgery, than I do running around on these days. 

Left a sponge in the laundry room wash tub today.  Of course, it stopped up the tub while I was running a load of laundry.  Of COURSE my husband was home, and I was at work when the flooding was discovered... it seeped into the basement (1st floor laundry), into the basement ceiling tiles and onto our elliptical machine, down the hall into the bathroom, into the bedroom.  OY!
Also, I left work today, drove to the gym and got to the locker room only to discover that I had only my SHOES for my workout.  Gym clothes are right where I left them this morning -- in a neat, folded pile on my bed.  UNBELIEVABLE!!!  It's just been one of those days.  Hope the Precor doesn't zap me, since it was covered in water earlier today, due to the sponge mishap.

Photo: Silly Jeffrey, waiting to start the Detroit 5th 3rd Turkey Trot. 

*Somebody* nudged me out of hiding.  Yes, I am still counting steps... tomorrow.  ;)  I found my pedometer, but have gotten out of the habit of wearing it.  I'm still remaining active... just switched gyms to one of those lovely health clubs with all the bells and whistles (not that I necessarily NEED bells and whistles, but I missed having a pool/sauna, etc. -- AND there are tons of free classes).  I've signed up for a 14 week Boot Camp class that meets M/W/F nights, that is supposed to whip my a** into shape.  That starts mid-January.  I'm really looking forward to it!  So, while I'm waiting for my class to begin, I'm walking at the gym daily and using the pool... and I think I may take a spin class this week. 
On the less-active front, I am nesting like crazy.  I am a knitting fool.  I should have taken a class long ago.  I have always crocheted, but could never work out the purling part of knitting (which, if you knit, you know is a very large part of knitting -- haw-haw).  In addition to knitting, I'm cooking and baking, collecting recipes, digging out last years gardening catalogs... tonight I am making no-sew fleeces for myself and my husband (50% off fleece at Joannes!). 
I'm practically digging myself a den.  ;)

Work is good.  Had our luncheon with Cancer Care yesterday, and was able to see some of our patients during their chemo treatments.  Nice to see where they spend so much time -- and nice to see that it's such a nice place (all things considered).  If you work in health care, you know that this is a dangerous time of year, in terms of your diet.  Today we received (for our tiny office of 3 women + Doc H.) a HUGE tray of old-fashioned short bread cookies and a beautiful edible bouquet.  Again, yesterday was a luncheon.  Friday, a local surgeon is sending us a luncheon.  Guess my gym membership will come in handy!

Excellent tea find:  Stash Green Chai.  Perfect for a cold winter night!

Photo:
5th 3rd Turkey Trot, Detroit, Thanksgiving Day.  Yes, that is a Pope getting ready to run.

Had my Knitting 101 class tonight, and I am now the proud owner of a 4x4" square of knitted and purled yarn. Joy!  It actually looks like... you won't believe it... REAL KNITTED STUFF.  *shock!!!*
My homework for the month is to go home, knit and purl a LOT more, making as many... ooooh, say... flat, square, cotton washcloths my little hands can churn out.  Next month is Knitting 102, a two-nighter where I will apparently make a scarf!  After that, I am told I should be ready to move on to a sweater, hat or EVEN SOCKS!  I can't wait to make socks and slippers, and MITTENS.  Can't wait for the mittens...

Cold here... very cold.  Labradors-a-beggin' to come in kinda cold.  That is COLD.  Not quite Vermont cold... but it's pretty cold for southeast Michigan.

Some days, you get a bunch of news about other people in your life, that puts YOUR life into rather harsh perspective.
Today is one of those days.  Glad to be alive and healthy.

SNOW!!! Sideways snow, at that!  At this rate, I don't see how it will accumulate, as I can't see it actually touching the ground... since it's not FALLING.  But, accumulating, it is.  SNOW, BABY, SNOW!!!  Justine wants to dig out the snowshoes!

Love Affair with Salad.  Big bowl of baby spinach, chicken breast, shredded carrots, radicchio. cauliflower, broccoli (whatever else you want to throw in), light ranch (just enough so that there's a bit on each leaf when you toss it), pinch of cayenne, nice dose of paprika.


YUM!!! 

Weather here has been cold!  It's 17 degrees right now.  SO... I found a North Face Metropolis Parka for myself, on sale with FREE SHIPPING from a little shop in Colorado.  The description, "like an upright down sleeping bag" clinched the sale.  Envisioning a warm, toasty me...

I am sure I've had days where I've been more tired in my life, but right now I can't remember any of them.  Worked from 8 a.m. yesterday until 2 a.m. this morning, for the party.  Woke up again at 5:30 a.m. and finished up my last minute touches.  Of course, my grandmother-in-law arrived 40 minutes early! Holy moly... The day went well, the food was a hit, my cake was really cute (photo's later this week -- I even made marzipan pumpkins), and most importantly, my sister-in-law was happy-happy!  With that, I consider the day a success.
I made a fantastic hot caramel apple cider today... so easy, and the results were divine.  One gallon of cider, one large-ish jar of caramel topping, all goes into your crockpot with some cinnamon sticks.  I floated some orange slices for visual effect.  What a hit!  Perfect for a cold winter day.

Full-on baby shower planning mode.  Hardly know where to begin...

Mmmmmm.... turkey.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Have had the first glimpse of my baby girl niece today... and is it me, or is she already adorable???  What a great ultrasound.  I'm in love already.