My New Years Resolutions

           Another year has ended and my family, pets, and home are all still intact thankfully. I can hear my kids laughing in the other room as I type this. Tonight it is off to work for me, hopefully it will be uneventful and quick. Before I go, I am supposed to write down my resolutions for the new year. I am not a big fan of those, but I will try to name a few :)

 I want to be healthier in the New Year.

I resolve to be more active in the new year, taking more walks outside.

I plan on getting my backyard back in condition. It is a jungle out there, I want it tamed and pretty.

I resolve to dust more LOL I seem to have a constant covering of dust on everything.

I resolve to eat healthier. More fruits, veggies, and whole grains. No more white foods.

Lastly, I resolve to get my budget under control. I will pay off my credit cards and spend less on take out foods LOL. 

SO, not an overwhelming list :) hopefully I can accomplish everything.

What are the 5 Things I am Thankful for This Year

 The five things I am thankful for the year are:

1.  I have the two most amazing kids ever. My beautiful daughter is intelligent and kind, She is goofy, sensitive, and so creative. She keeps me mentally young LOL my son is my rock. He is protective, caring, and so unbelievably intelligent. He challenges me to see the world more compassionately. I would be lost without each of them.

2.  My pets. I have two dogs, Honeybee and Sunny. They are silly and loyal. I always have one or both either on top of me or right beside me. They provide me with so much love and warmth. I also have three cats. Commander, Jumanji, and Penny. They all have totally different personalities. Commander is laidback and loves attention. Jumanji is playful and will talk to you. Penny is a shy girl who will surprise you with cuddles when you least expect it. They bring life to my home.

3.  My home. I love my house. Even if I won millions of dollars, I would never move. My home is the best impulse buy ever. It is not decorated fancy like some of my neighbor's homes, but it has personality. Inside is all colorful with farm animals and flowers. I have filled it with decorations that make me happy. 

4.  As much as I complain about it, my job makes the list. It is steady and dependable. It affords me enough income so that I have enough to take care of my small family. 

5.  My brand new car. I have had a license for 35 years and never did I ever have a new car. I always could only afford used. Not this time. It is way more than I should have spent, but I did it any way. It is a steel gray Kia Forte that I named Remington Steel, though my kids insist on calling it Remi the rat car after the Ratatouille movie LOL

I Want to Remember From This Year...

           2023 was a quick year. It came and went in the blink of an eye it seems. I bought my very first brand new car this year, my daughter started high school this year. We had no major illnesses this year. I had a whole year of no college for me. I managed to pay off a few credit cards. Okay it was a boring year LOL but that is not necessarily a bad thing.

          Off to work tonight, just for one night. Then I have tomorrow off to celebrate the new year with my kids. Nothing big planned. I have a mystery game for us to play and some poppers to explode. This week has been spent putting away or throwing away anything we did not use recently. All my holiday stuff is packed away. Biggest problem currently is I cannot find my generic bathroom stuff LOL I swear I am so good at hiding stuff from myself. It is ridiculous how good I am at it. 

          Oh my silliness extends to check writing LOL today, for the first time in YEARS I wrote a check :) my HOA charges fees to pay our dues online, and I just don't want to pay any extra money. So I found my old checks, bought some stamps, and tried to remember how to fill out a check LOL we even had to walk it out to the mailbox to send LOL it was all quite funny to me and my kids going so old school.

Am I Cold or Hot?

          So, which type of weather do I prefer is today's prompt, cold or hot? Neither LOL I grew up around snow, and while it is pretty, I did not like the cold. Now, I live in Florida where it is hot, and not so great either, some of the time :) Of the two, I choose the warm. When it is cold, all I want to do is snuggle up under a blanket and stay inside. There is never a good time to venture outside. When I visited friends in Washington, DC it was always cold. I was miserable. 

          In Florida, while it is hot, there are times when the weather is quite nice. In the evening it cools down so outside is not so scary LOL In the morning, when I wake up, I can open the patio door and enjoy the breeze and sounds of the world waking up. It is currently 08:00 and I have said door open while I listen to the rain. It is a bit chilly, but not so bad.

          I put away all my outside decorations yesterday. Now I just have to do the inside. Just need to find some energy. So far not much of that. I woke up tired LOL but I have my to do list to keep me aware of what needs to be done. I might end up back asleep before accomplishing a bit of it LOL. 

Write a Letter

Dear Me, 

          It says I am to write a letter to someone I love. I decided to write a letter to me, and make this upcoming year the year to love me. I have never been really good about that. For 55 years I have tolerated me or hated me, I never really loved me. That really needs to change. Perhaps then I can accomplish my physical goals. I put way too much stress on me about looking bad, so much so that I am feeling bad. It is definitely affecting my attitudes. I do entirely too much negative self talk, I need to practice more positive self talk, even when it seems totally silly. How can others love and respect me if I don't love and respect me??? So this coming year we are going to give myself a bit of grace, I am 55 years old, I have earned it. Now Play Nice.

Love,

Me

Tell a Story???

           The prompt says to tell a story about something that happened to you today. Well, nothing has happened LOL I keep things as drama free as possible. Goes all the way back to when I was in middle of my divorce and there was so much drama, my personal life overlapped with my professional life, to make such a mess. Since then I have kept my two worlds separate. So I have no interesting story to tell LOL.

          Christmas is over, no more holidays. I am burnt out on them now LOL we went from Daughter's birthday in July, to son's in September, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. I am tired of holidays. I just want to take all the decorations down and put back my every day stuff, and chill :)

           By the time I got off work today, I had no clue what I was doing LOL I am not even sure what day it is. I think it is Sunday, but the calendar and my kids claim it is Tuesday. I am sure they are correct, but still doesn't unconfuzzle me. I need a long winter's nap LOL

The Five Senses of Christmas

 Looks like: Christmas tree with candy canes, kids in funny, holiday shirts.

Sounds like: Carols playing in the background.

Feels like: Humid LOL I live in Florida and it is rainy and 70 degrees.

Tastes like: Coconut coffee my sweet girl made me to get me to work.

Smells like: Sausage balls that we made before going to bed.

Night Before Christmas: NURSE EDITION 🎄

I love Nurse Blake LOL

Holiday Events

           Today's prompt is asking about a holiday event that I attended of hosted LOL well, I didn't do anything. I tried going to the Celebration snowing, but couldn't find parking, same thing when I tried going to the living nativity. The crowds were overwhelming so no parking available. We did go see the Christmas trees at Disney Springs, but were disappointed this year. They were more commercial ones rather than character themed. By that I mean a Disney+ tree and a Disney Vacation Club tree. I miss the Minnie tree, Mickey Tree, Wonderland tree, Mulan tree, those types. They did have an Encanto and Moana tree which were gorgeous.

          Tonight we are going to get a tiktok treat LOL a boba drink in a gingerbread cup. Afterwards we are going to watch Aquaman and then go to dinner. Today is basically our family Christmas together :)

Christmas A to Z

           Let's see if I can do the A-Z of Christmas LOL

Angel on top of the tree.

Baubles

Candy canes

Decorations

Eggnog

Feliz Navidas

Gifts

Holiday

Icicles

Joy

Kindness

Love

Merry

Noel

Opening presents

Presents

Quiet

Reindeer

Santa

Toys

Ugly sweaters

Vacation

Winter

Xmas

Yuletide

Zest

Christmas Treats

           So what treats am I making this year is the question prompted. I am not really making anything LOL that is the drawback of trying to eat a bit healthier. I am planning on making sausage balls for Christmas per tradition, and work is having a bit of a potluck, so I will bake some cookies I have in freezer for it. I always thought a cookie exchange would be fun, but never any others interested in it.

          In the middle of my weird, holiday work schedule. I often do not even know what day it is LOL but I need the extra money for working the holidays, so in I am going. I miss the good old days when the hospital would clear out for the holidays. Now it seems like just any other day. Doctors and patient's families used to send the nurses treats, they don't anymore. Shoot the hospital doesn't even give us anything. It is really pathetic how far nursing is now from when I first started. The downfall began when CEOs started treating the hospitals as a 5 star resort experience and the nurses were there to cater to their every whim and not their health.

          Saturday will be fun though. I am off for one night with my kids, so we are going to see Aquaman. I just hope I can stay awake LOL 

Did I Peek at Presents or Wait?

           Oh most definitely I peeked LOL. I was an expert at figuring out what was under the tree for me. I will admit that I even unwrapped and rewrapped a few to figure them out. There was only one present I could never figure out. It was huge, rectangular, and when I shook it, it sounded like a puzzle. I had no idea what it was. There was no way my mom would be so mean as to get me a 10,000 piece puzzle, so I was stumped. She also gave no hints. It wasn't until Christmas morning that I got to open it and found out what was inside that was driving me insane LOL it was a five pound bag of peanuts LOL it was the most memorable present I ever received.

Who Made Christmas Special

           This is a tough prompt, I am not sure who made it special. I mean my mom, of course, did everything she could to try and make my brother and I have a great Christmas, and she succeeded. We never felt deprived at Christmas. I am not how sure how she always managed to pull that one off. My nanny passed down the tradition of sausage balls on holidays, which I still follow. I have the ingredients all ready to go LOL. I guess Christmas became really special to me when I became a mom. I got to be Santa and do all sorts of things to try and show my kids the magic of the season. I still do LOL

          I am waiting for my kids to do their advent calendars and for my daughter to find the hidden candy cane. Those are traditions we began, and I love them. After that it is work tonight for me. It is just one night, so hopefully it goes quickly and uneventfully. The next couple of weeks my schedule is all messed up. How do people work like this LOL

Living in a Gingerbread House

           Today's prompt questions what it would be like to live in a gingerbread house LOL where did they get these ideas??? I would not want to live in a house made out of gingerbread and candy, can you imagine the ant and bug problems a person would have. It would be disgusting LOL I will stick with my own home.

          My home is completely mine. It was a spur of the moment purchase back in Spring 2017. I just turned in to the homes being built out of curiosity, and before I knew it, I had purchased a home. My kids were in total shock. They did not believe me. We had to chose every little detail of designing it, some of the stuff I wish I could go back and change, like tile the whole house and cover the backyard, but oh well. This is all mine. We watched it go from an empty lot, to getting pipes, then a foundation, beams going up, then walls and a roof. Every couple of days we would drive over to see any progress. It took six months to finish. We finally were able to move in November 2017. My son cried he was so happy. He never believed we would own a home.

          I didn't either. Always lived in apartments or trailers, so this, was a dream come true. I put a fence up in the backyard, so we got a puppy. A year later we got another one. They are totally spoiled. We also have three cats who run the show. Every pet has a different personality. I chose all of the decor in my home. It is very colorful and I guess in farmhouse style? I have lots of farm animals, veggies, and sunflowers all in bright colors. It makes me happy to look around. I even named my home Casa Bella.

          Today I have to put my backyard decor back out. The storms have passed. It is mostly windchimes and solar lanterns. Next month I am going to work on getting rid of all the weeds in my yard. The first year here we had a great lawn, but then I put up birdfeeders and with all the birds coming in and pooping, I have every weed known out back now. Ruined my lawn. So next year's goal is to get it back in shape.

Hallmark Movies

           Today's prompt asks if I am a Hallmark movie watcher. Yes and no LOL sometimes I find ones that are interesting or have an actor I like, so I will watch it, but most of the time I find them a bit silly. They are so preposterous in plots. They are also very predictable. I like movies that keep me guessing.

          My work fooled me. I thought they cared. When I called my manager Thursday, right after I found out my grandma had died, she immediately took me off the work schedule for the weekend, and told me to take care. Yet, last night, 2 days later, she is calling and asking me to come into work. I said no. I wake up this morning to another text asking me if I can work tonight??? I told her no since funeral is tomorrow morning. So much for caring and giving me time to grieve. So disappointed in them.

          Is still windy and rainy outside, but supposed to be clearing later today. My backyard is drenched, but everything survived it seems. Not sure what I am doing today. Not a lot of places to go for fun in this weather. Most events got cancelled. Now, I wish there was a good Hallmark movie on LOL

I Dislike Christmas Because...

           Misleading post, I do not dislike Christmas. There are a few things I wish would come back. I miss my kids believing in the magic of Santa. I miss trying to figure out what was wrapped up under the tree. I miss tinsel on the tree. I miss stockings filled with nuts and fruit. I miss eating Christmas cookies and not worrying about calories LOL.

          Stormy day here today. Not as bad as was forecasted though. It just now started to rain. I already have everything inside and lights off outside. I have no plans to go anywhere at this point. Maybe later, just depends on what weather actually becomes. If too bad, I will just stay in and maybe make a quiche.

          No school work to do. Finished up all of daughter's first semester of high school. Still haven't wrapped my head around her being that old. Really cannot believe my baby boy is getting close to 30 years old. Time really does go fast when you get older.

Pick and Ornament

           I am combining the two prompts from yesterday and today, something I collect relating to Christmas, and pick out a special ornament. Still trying to wrap my head around yesterday, so this is just to keep up with daily blog trend. 

          Every year my tree looks a bit different, it just depends on my mood. One year I did an Epcot tree where I picked an ornament from each country for my tree. Some I had to get creative with since a few did not have proper ornaments. Once I did a completely Disney tree, another I did a Hallmark tree. This year I have birds and some forest animals. The thing I do every year though is get one new ornament. It isn't special, just something I like for me to put on my tree. This year it was a soft and fuzzy reindeer with holly on its collar. It was just cute and it made me happy. It is sitting up high on my tree.

          Today is super windy outside. I guess Florida is about to get hit with a major storm courtesy of El Nino. Rain for two days with winds in high teens to low 20s. So I have to go outside and secure everything. It is a good thing I puttered in the front yard and mowed yesterday. Ironically, tonight is judging for the decoration contest. All of my neighbors who spent a small fortune lighting up their house and putting up yard decorations are all going to have to dismantle or risk everything being blown away. I am guessing the judging will be postponed due to storm. I know I unplugged our lights because any weather makes them flip our circuit breaker and the garage doesn't work. I still might plug them back in for a bit if they do not cancel just because I don't want to be a bah humbug person.

Today Sucks

           I woke up this morning to an awful text message from my aunt. Last night my grandmother passed away. I am a bit heartbroken. She was my last grandparent and my last connection to my mom. I know I still have two aunts and two uncles, but I did not grow up around them. My grandma was a constant in my childhood. So many weird memories keep hitting me. I remember something about her purse. She kept asking me for it, when it was right beside her. I also remember getting into an argument over me not wearing a dress to church. She refused to let me go if I did not put on a dress. I did not go. I remember her standing outside this magic closet, with all sorts of stuff inside, and putting on some nail dryer LOL I know that closet was just full of toiletries, towels, and such, but I wasn't allowed in it so it was full of magic grown up stuff to me. I remember her puttering around in her yard, pulling up weeds, I remember her voice, and I remember she was always so absent minded. I was not close to her, but I did love her. I wish I could have seen her, but she would not have known me. She had severe dementia. The last time I spoke to her, it took a bit to get her to remember me, but then she did and she asked how my mom was doing. I did not have the heart to tell her that mom had died, so I just said she was fine. At least now they are together, probably driving my grandpa crazy in Heaven :)

Christmas Playlist

           I have been listening to Christmas songs since the beginning of November. I like the old fashioned ones mostly. Michael Buble is perfect for Christmas songs. The radio station I listen to the most is Magic 107.7 it has been continuously Christmas carols LOL I am getting a bit tired of them. My daughter is too. I only listen to music, when I am in my car, on the radio. I do not own a single song LOL. I have never really been into music. I like it, but only when I drive. 

          My daughter and son both like music. I will hear them singing songs I have never even heard of. My son has very eclectic and non-mainstream tastes in music. I think I have heard him sing in Celtic. My daughter likes the music from her video games. It is unusual for us to all like the same song LOL

          So, not a lot on tap for today. It is my last vacation day until the spring. I have enjoyed my time off. I would love to just be a stay at home mom. That is my dream job. 

My Christmas Tree

           Okay today's prompt is silly, write a story from my tree's perspective??? My tree is saying nothing LOL It probably is noticing that I have nothing really decorated inside. I have a few animal and bird baubles on the tree, some candy canes, and a poinsettia garland. My couch is the most decorated and I think it is adorable. I have it covered up with holiday blankets and pillows. It is so cozy. I do, however, have Christmas carols playing on my Alexa.

          

Holiday Movie Must Watch List

           Since this year I am not really feeling like Christmas, I have been just watching whatever I feel like. I do watch a few Hallmark movies LOL but they are getting a bit repetitive. For my birthday my kids took me to see The Marvels which was flerkin awesome LOL you have to see it to get that reference. This month I am also going to go see Aquaman when it comes out. That just looks fun. On streaming service Reacher season 2 starts next weekend. I liked that series.

         I tend to like the more thinking mystery type shows. Legal shows like Suits, Harry's Law, and Drop Dead Diva are favorites. I also really enjoy Leverage, Psych, Castle, The Rookie, The Mentalist, and this new show called The Irrational. Shows that make me think and try to figure it out always interest me.

          It is chilly here today in Florida. Right now I think it is in the 50's. I still have the patio door open LOL I love hearing the world wake up. My pets also like getting outside so to speak. I do not have a lot planned today. Laundry, school work, be lazy LOL I try to stay on top of things so that my home never gets out of hand messy. Until my kids get up I just relax with some coffee and TV or I fall back asleep LOL.

Top Ten Things to Love and Stay Healthy

           The prompt today is supposed to be the top 10 things I am loving. Well, I am adjusting that. Now that I am a new minted senior citizen of 55, I should really try and get my health in order. I have been noticing my memory and thinking is not so great. What I could think of instantly, now takes me a few moments. It is very frustrating. So I figure I need to find ways to reverse or prevent anything getting worse, as best I can. So I Googled LOL

          Top 10 Nutrition Tips:

1. Eat fruits and vegetables.              6.  Avoid adding salt.

2. Vary protein sources.                     7. Drink more water.

3. Add in healthy fats.                         8. Be careful with medications. 

4. Switch to whole grains                  9. Keep food stored properly.

5. Get enough low-fat dairy             10. Plan and eat healthy meals.

           Top 10 Nutrients Needed:

1. B12                               6. Vitamin D

2.  B6                                7. Calcium

3.  Magnesium              8. Protein

4. Omega 3s                   9. Vitamin E

5. Fiber                            10. Water

          Top 10 Superfoods:

1.  Dark leafy greens               6. Cruciferous vegetables

2. Blueberries                           7. Nuts and seeds

3. Eggs                                         8. Salmon

4. Plain Greek yogurt            9. Avocados

5. Olive oil                                10. Whole grains

Do I Believe in Christmas Magic?

           Do I believe in Christmas magic??? Nope LOL there is no real magic. I wish there was, that would be so fun. I would love to be able to wield magic, of course I would be horrible at it LOL so probably a good idea not to give me that kind of power. Sure, I would do awesome things for people, but on the flip side, if they pissed me off...

          Today happens to be my 55th birthday.  I am not happy about that. Not because of the number, but rather the fact that I have nobody special to share it with or anything special to do. Okay, not entirely accurate, I have my two amazing kids who are going out of their way to make me feel special, but they do that daily :)  my funny son got me some slipper socks. It took me a bit to realize they were the kind we put on the fall precaution patients at work LOL he doesn't want me to fall down cause I'm old now LOL he is lucky I love him and have a sense of humor or I would be so mad LOL. My daughter sewed me one of the cutest little duck plushy from her game. I always comment that it is so cute, so she made me a real one :) she is the sweet one of the two LOL my son is thoughtful though, instead of cake, he went way back in his memory and remembered me saying years ago I liked these corn muffins once, so he made some for me. Both of them are incredible. 

          I cannot believe my life has turned out the way it did. This is definitely not what I imagined as a kid. I have so many blessings, my kids, my pets, my home, my job, my health, and my freedom. I just imagined I would not be on my own for all of it. It is not that I want to be dating. I would be horrible at that, I just wish way back when, that I had started all of this with a partner. Somebody who by now would be growing old with me, who I would have shared all these experiences with. It is the one part of life that I regret. It is way to late to change that now. Oh well.

Pick an Ornament

           I have to admit these prompts are a bit silly, but it does force me to sit and write. Today it says to pick an ornament and tell its story. I do not have a special ornament though. Every year I change up my tree decor. This year I have placed all of my daughter's seasonal birds on it LOL she loved it. I keep my tree up all year and it changes with the season. My summer sunflower tree is my favorite.

          There was one time I had a lot of fun with some ornaments. My daughter was two and loved these Disney ornaments I had. Plush Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto. They were just her size. No matter where I tried to hide them, she would find them to take off, and go play with them. I'm not sure she thought it was a game or what, but every time she would swipe them. If I put them high, she'd get a chair. If I scattered them, she would find them all, I could hide them behind other ornaments, and inevitably she would find them. It was ridiculous LOL but I loved it and so did she. So it is a good ornament memory.

I Love Christmas Because...

           I love Christmas because it celebrates the birth of Jesus. I know many forget that, but at the heart of the season is the story of an innocent baby born who was destined to change the world. Believe or not believe, no person can deny that he changed their world. Wars were fought for him, songs were sung about him, stories written about him, people live and die for him. I for one believe in him. I always have, just I tend to keep it low key. Religion is not a safe topic to discuss in public. It brings out too many different beliefs and arguments.

          So, back to Christmas. I also love the hustle and bustle of the holidays. It makes everything seem so purposeful. People have a goal of getting just the right thing for another person. They can be ruthless at it too LOL. Businesses come alive with decorations and sales, everything looks so festive. After the holidays, and the decorations are gone, everything looks so dull and dreary. It also signals the end of another year. By the time Christmas comes around I am done LOL. I have been decorating and baking and planning, it is nice to just stop for a bit.

          The last thing I love about Christmas is my kids. They no longer believe in Santa, so they focus on just the spirit of the season. We think about how to make the holiday special for each other. There is only the three of us, so it is a simple day. Often I work, so the 25th isn't important. It is the whole time leading up to it that we love. Presents can be given anytime, no worries about wrapping and sneaking them under the tree. We all just want to find something that will bring smiles. 

Simple Snowmen

          Today's prompt is asking how I am decorating for Christmas.  I am keeping it simple this year. My neighbors are all going crazy putting up lights, I can in no way compete with them, so I am just putting up enough to keep people from saying I am bah humbug. Inside I have yet to be inspired to decorate. I did my couch up pretty in Christmas blankets, but that is about it. I have candy canes on the tree and a few poinsettia. I also tucked in a few birds for fun.

          I do not know why I have been uninspired, perhaps because my kids are older now. There does not seem to be much magic left in the holiday, which is disappointing. I still try and keep a few traditions alive. We have advent calendars and my son hides a candy cane every night for his sister to find. It is cute. In fact it is time to go write about that tradition for school. I need to focus now LOL.

Dear Santa

 Dear Santa,

     Merry Christmas. I know you are busy at the North Pole, encouraging all the elves to make those toys as fast as you can, and getting the reindeer in shape, but I thought you might have a moment, while sipping Mrs. Claus' cocoa, to read my short little letter.  Yes, this is a daily blog prompt LOL. Since I am working like you on Christmas Eve and day, I have a strange list :) Please send me an assignment of alert, oriented, and ambulatory patients. No fall risks or crazies. Please do not let anybody lose their IV or need nurse drawn labs. Do not send me any codes or falls please. I just would like stable patients LOL I would like patients who have very few medications and want to just sleep. Please make the night go quickly and uneventfully. Oh and if the hospital could provide us with dinner, that would be great. Thank you very much, and I hope your holiday and flight go as smoothly as possible.

Kindest regards,

Jennifer

December To Read List

          This is a joke LOL I have no list of stuff to read. I haven't read anything for fun in years. I used to read a lot, I spent days in the library, but then I grew up and no more time. Plus it is very hard to read with my eye sight now. Perks of getting old. I have written a couple of kid's books though. I wish I knew how to publish them, because I think they are really good. Oh well.

          Only thing I have time now to read are patient's charts. Some of those are interesting LOL so, this post is just a filler so that I can say I followed the daily prompt. Now back to my usual routine of school, cleaning, and hanging with my kids. Is boring but drama free.

Time to Plug in Those Lights

          This year we are keeping it simple. We go all out for Halloween, but for Christmas, on my street, simple is better. Our neighbors have officially gone crazy with the lights. We are talking in the thousands strung up. There is no way I can compete with that, so simple is better. Past years we have put up lots of lights and inflatables, but this year is a nope LOL I do not understand why everybody is going so over the top this year, but they are LOL. Driving through my neighborhood at night is a visual treat. So many pretty lights.

          We have put up a few lights. We have the bushes lit up, and we went around our landscaping with white lights, colored lights along the driveway. I put up a garage banner and snowmen porch light covers, so we look respectable, and we have little snowmen solar lights along the side of the house. Sounds like a lot, but in comparison, it is nothing LOL. I put stuff up just so we don't stick out from lack of decorations LOL if I could I would have no lights. Any moisture and it flips our circuit breaker and we lose power to part of the house. It took forever to figure out what happened and how to remedy the first time.

         I like the lights though. I want my kids to be able to have these memories they can look back on and hopefully enjoy them, perhaps even share with their future families. 

A Childhood Christmas Memory

           Okay this was a funny one to me, not so much my brother. One year my mom handed us each a present when we were teenagers. We open at the same time, and inside mine is $100 and inside his is $50 LOL My brother's face was shocked and disappointed all at once, mine was triumphant, because after all these years, I finally had proof I was her favorite child LOL she is scrambling, yelling "Wait!!! I messed up!!!" I'm laughing, my brother is trying to be thankful, my mom is scrambling through the presents, laughing so hard she can barely breathe, until she grabs two more presents and tells us to open them. Turns out we were both getting $150 cash, she had just mixed up the boxes LOL I didn't care. For those few moments, I was the favorite and got to hold it over my brother's head LOL best Christmas present ever :)

My December Bucket List

           I found a site that gave me 31 different prompts for writing in December, so I thought I would try LOL let's see how long I last.  Today is December bucket list.  Biggest one this month is survive becoming a senior citizen. Yep, I turn 55 in eight days. I am not happy about that at all. I do not feel 55 mentally, though my body is getting the idea that yeah, I am getting old. Not good. OKAY Bucket List:

Turn 55

Blog every day.

Finish up Christmas shopping.

Decorate inside of house. 

Survive my crazy work schedule.

  My bucket list sucks LOL so boring. I can't help it that I lead a drama free life.

OMG I Got the Scale to move!!!

           Amazingly I lost seven pounds last week!!!  I stuck with the keto diet, did not worry about any exercise, stepped on the scale anxiously, and low and behold I was down LOL I could not believe it. So that helped motivate me and stay strong over my work weekend, and boy was that hard!!!

          I work nights on the weekend as a nurse, so my sleep schedule and eating schedule is all wonky. I tend to snack just to stay awake. It was very challenging to do this weekend. I took baby pickles and cheese, some pork rinds, tuna packets, and a meat entre leftover to get me through. I also drank A LOT of water. OMG when I got there on Thursday night, Halloween candy was all over the nurse's desk. I wanted to grab a few pieces so badly, but instead I ate pork rinds dipped in mayo (surprisingly good). Friday night I was attacked by snack bags of chips a patient's family had given the nurses. So many flavors, the Doritos were screaming my name, but I fought back with pickles and cheese. By Saturday night I was convinced my coworkers hated me because they ordered PIZZA!!! OMG I was in Hell. Sheer willpower kept me from demolishing a slice. 

          I made it through though. I did not cheat. Came home Sunday and was very proud of myself. My son swears this will get easier. I so hope he is right. Yesterday I was good. I had a butter lettuce salad with bacon bits and parmesan cheese. For a dressing I used olive oil and rice vinegar with Ms. Dash. It was surprisingly good and only 2 net carbs for a big bowl. It is a definite repeat. For dinner my daughter and I made chicken alfredo soup. It was just some chicken breasts boiled to make the broth, then shredded up (0 carbs). I poured in a jar of alfredo sauce (2 carbs per serving), parmesan cheese (0 carbs), and a stick of butter (0 carbs). I also added some poultry seasoning. At Publix I got some miracle noodles with only 2 carbs per serving and divided it up between my daughter and me, poured the soup broth over it, and voila keto friendly chicken noodle soup.  Today I will just enjoy the broth and chicken. Tonight my daughter and I plan on having turkey burgers with lettuce buns and air fried jalapenos wrapped in bacon.

          I have been also trying to drink lots of water so I do not get keto flu. So far, so good. I am still tired a lot, so I just relax and cat nap. Once more I am not going to worry about exercise yet. I am going to give my body some time to just get used to making its own energy. I am giving myself permission to be lazy LOL. My kids are being so sweet about supporting me and letting me be lazy. I am useless during the daytime, but I tend to get a bit of energy at night when it cools off outside LOL it is way too hot to venture outdoors these days. Everyday there is an extreme heat advisory. It is best to just stay inside.

Made it To Ketosis

           It is day 4 now and I have not cheated LOL I swear yesterday I wanted to quit though. It seems so overwhelming thinking of doing this the rest of the year. My Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram are filling up with Autumn recipes that are torturing me. I love Fall baking and this year it will be a no no. I did see that pumpkin is not crazy high in carbs. Perhaps I can make fake pumpkin pie LOL mix the pumpkin puree with whole cream, eggs, and my sugar free coffee syrups, then bake without a pie crust. That might work :) I need my pumpkin spice fix LOL.

          I have these test strips that tell you if you are spilling ketones into your urine, and mine was positive this morning. Gross info to share, but it was great to find out that I am in ketosis. Perhaps now I will start dropping some weight. Last night I did not want to, but I mowed my front and back yard. In Florida you mow when it is not raining and the heat is under 100 degrees LOL So, I was mowing after 7pm LOL I was only going to do the back yard, but my OCD kicked in and I did the front as well. I was WIPED OUT afterwards. Sweating so much that my daughter thought I had turned the hose onto myself, she laughed and was mind blown when I said it was just me sweating. I figured mowing would push me over edge into ketosis and I was right.

          Today is last day off before back to work this weekend. I am super nervous about the snacks at work. I will have to make sure I have stuff I can nosh on to avoid temptation. I keep trying to think about a month from now when hopefully this all pays off. Today I am going to cook me chicken breasts and cubed steaks so that I have them ready for lunches at work. I have baby pickles to snack on, I also think I am going to shred up some lettuce and make a keto dressing for a simple salad to eat while there. Oh and I need to make some deviled eggs LOL. I need to go in well prepared. 

          I have not felt like I have keto flu, which is great, I am however very tired. Thankfully my kids let me just nap during the day. Is too hot to go out anyway LOL. I try and wake up in the evening to do something with my daughter. Today my son is off work as well, so I will be able to enjoy his company too. My daughter has her weekly teen church group tonight, so she will be entertained. We won't have to go shopping LOL we have been looking at Autumn decorations the last few nights. 

          Okay, time to put eggs on to hard boil for the deviled eggs, and to continue laundry. I have my to do checklist all written up so that I stay on track. Once I cross everything off, I feel so much better and accomplished.

Keeping it Keto

          Day two of keto diet, and I am staying on track. I followed my meal plan yesterday and went to bed not feeing like a failure :)  This morning I woke up, had my coffee, which was still yummy, and then did a bunch of nothing LOL like I said, I am not going to even worry about exercise yet. 

          I read that it takes 2-4 days before getting into ketosis. I am hoping that happens soon. I have also read about the keto flu. I am hoping to avoid that. Internet sites recommend making sure I stay hydrated to help ease that side effect. So I have been trying to drink more out of my Cirkul bottle. I just went and purchased me some more cartridges. My goal is to get to drinking three bottles a day. Considering I only drink one bottle in a whole weekend, that is a big goal LOL

          My daughter has been eating the same as me LOL which helps. She thought lettuce wrapped burgers were great and loves the scrambled eggs and bacon. She is old enough (14) so that if she wants something different, she can handle making it herself. Not sure what we will have tonight. We ate the eggs and bacon late, so not really hungry. I might make the lemon mousse as a treat. That is just the heavy whipping cream blended until it is whipped cream consistency, then a box of sugar free jello mixed in. Tastes great and zero carbs.

          We just got back from shopping LOL we found lots of cute Autumn decorations in a few places. We bought lots of little pumpkins and scarecrows for the front porch. We start decorating for Fall on September 21st LOL day after my son's birthday. That is the official start of Autumn activities for us. It is our favorite time of year.   

Beginning a Keto Diet

           Here we go again, trying something new to lose weight. I am so frustrated with trying to lose weight. I am tired of feeling like a failure every night. I go to sleep saying tomorrow will be better, but then I wake up, and it all goes downhill. I get tired, so I do not move much. Or I try to eat something to wake up. Both not good options. I am fast approaching 55 years old, and I do not want to stay unhealthy. 

          I set a goal to lose 55 pounds by my 55th birthday, and instead of doing that, I gained 15 which really is making a difference. I am not moving as well as I would like. My joints hurt, my knees do not like to bend, and I am falling way too often. If I was just seeing my size and history, I would be groaning at the thought of me as a patient. That is not a pleasant thing to think about. What if I fall and can't get up? The pain combined with the embarrassment, would be devastating. 

          So, I have told my kids that I need their help. I am going to try doing a keto diet and see if that works. My son is not thrilled, but he is going to try to support me. He is worried I will be unhealthy. I am already unhealthy, I am trying to reverse that. My daughter is okay with it, she is doing her best to eat the apples and grapes I already bought before this idea popped into my brain LOL.  So far the hardest thing to give up is my morning coffee routine of creamer. I did however find a work around. I made my coffee this morning with cream (no carbs) and sugar free coffee flavoring like at a coffee shop. It tasted pretty good. I have also surfed the net a bit to see what I can have and not have. This is what I have found out:

          The important thing to get into ketosis, is to stay under 20-30 net carbs per day. Net carbs are the key. The formula for that is to take total carbs and subtract the fiber, leaving net carbs.

Yes foods are: meat, fish, eggs, cheese, oils, butter, whole cream, zucchini, cauliflower, greens, mushrooms, small tomato, celery, and cucumber.

No foods are: grains, baked goods, fruit, milk, yogurt, beans, pasta, bread, sugar, peas, corn, squash, and potatoes.

Okay foods are: nuts, seeds, avocado, and coconut.

          Since sometimes I just need something fruity, I got myself some sugar free Capri Suns. They have no carbs LOL. I also thought of sugar free jellos blended with the whipping cream to make a mousse.

          Today I plan on having bacon and eggs for breakfast. Lunch will be tuna salad on cucumbers. Dinner will be cheeseburgers with pickles and lettuce. I am not going to add in any exercise yet. Changing diet will be hard enough to focus on. Once I get hang of this, then I will add in some movement. 

Here is hoping that this goes well. 

          

Wednesday Willpower

    

           Just a quick update for me so far. I have been doing good since the first LOL All three days I have stayed under calorie count and hit my step goals. It feels great being able to do that. Now I have to just keep it up.  I did get rid of the Fooducate app. It was not giving me what I wanted. On the flip side I went premium with My Fitness Pal. I found out with premium it would track my calories AND keep track of my steps and adjust my calorie need. So it gives me extra calories based on how active I am. I like that. I am hoping that I will show a loss for this week. I am not one to get on scale every day, that is too stressful LOL I shoot for once a week. 

              So, to try and not make this all about weight loss, I also have been having fun with my kids, both of them. For Christmas I got my son an annual pass to Disney, so he has been going to the parks with my daughter and I. Yesterday we went to Animal Kingdom and had a lot of fun. The best part we saw was the bird show LOL it was so funny. One of the birds stole the guys microphone. Not sure if scripted, they acted like it wasn't, but so funny. Both kids were cracking up. We got to go on a few rides like Dinosaur, Kali River Rapids, and N'avi Boat Ride. It was very busy, but not too hot. Tomorrow we are going to Epcot. That is my favorite park. 

         Today my responsible goal is to start trimming my Crepe Myrtle trees in the back yard. I found out last year if I trim them back big time, they will grow more full. So if weather cooperates, then that is the plan. It is on my to do list.  I have discovered that if I make an actual To Do List, then I get more done. I like scratching things off the list. I got me two fun 365 day desk calendars that I use the backs of for my lists, and one big spiral planner that I have been adding my B/P in daily as well as steps and calories, plus whatever else I am doing for the day. I also have a 4th smaller spiral Gooseberry Patch planner to write in. All of them keep me organized LOL 

Happy New Year 2023

     I cannot believe it is another new year. So much went wonky last year health wise. Nothing drastic, just nothing positive.  I got Covid unfortunately. It was a mild case, but enough to mess up my blood pressure. It took me almost 7 months to get it back under control. I had allergies so bad in the Spring that my hearing was affected until I finally got it cleared up after 2 months. Then I had two teeth break so I needed emergency dental surgery and ended up with two crowns. This was all before June LOL needless to say I regained all the weight I had lost. Very depressing. 

     I also turned 54 years old in December. This year I turn 55 years old and officially become a senior citizen LOL bring on the discounts. I have decided I want to lose 55 lbs by 55 years. So this year I am going to try and focus on getting myself as healthy as I can possibly be for an old lady LOL up first is diet. During November and December I really tried to cut back on sweets. That was hard since it was the Holidays LOL but I tried. I took most of the sweets I had accumulated and sent them to work. Staci and I made nothing to keep at home. Thankfully I did not gain anything over holidays, which is a success. I also started taking one of my dogs out for walks in the morning. I did not do it consistently, but I still went a few times.

   

https://www.fooducate.com/

 

Now that the new year is here, it is a great time for a fresh start psychologically. I have to work tonight, but I still am starting. I had two slices of dry toast topped with avocado and egg for breakfast. I generously seasoned it with Everything seasoning LOL it is really quite good. I also cannot give up my coffee, so I had a big cup with creamer. I will take me a basic salad tonight with a tuna pouch for dinner. I have my Mio water to keep me hydrated. Oh I think I also have some jello and applesauce I can take to help hunger cravings. I signed up for a new app to help me track calories in and out called Fooducate as well as My Fitness Pal

https://www.myfitnesspal.com/

.

So that is my plan for day 1 of the new year. Work and not eat too many calories. Just have to get through this day by day :)