I’ll write more in the next day or two, but I just had blog briefly about one of my Christmas presents. Someone very dear to me actually got me the Taj Mahal kit by Chatelaine for a combination Christmas/birthday (Feb. 17) present. It’s a piece I’ve been wanting for a loooong time. I opened it a few hours ago and I’m still simply giddy over it. Yeah, he did good.

I tried a new recipe this morning that came from the Hungry Girl website recently. They’re called Peachy Keen Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins. I definitely need to let them cook a bit longer next time. They looked done on the outside and the toothpick test came out clean, but they weren’t quite done all the way through, unfortunately. I also think I’ll add a bit more pumpkin pie spice or perhaps some cinnamon the next time I make these. I thought they needed a little more “oomph”. All in all, definitely something I will make again though.

I’m on vacation right now, so this isn’t a picture of my actual results. This is the picture from the Hungry Girl website, but mine basically looked just like this.

Day 48 of 50

Brunch:
Peachy Keen Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins - 3.0

Snack:
Baked Tostitos Scoops w/salsa - 2.8
Organic pretzel sticks - 2.0
Baked whole wheat pita chips - 2.6

Dinner:
Vegetarian burrito - 5.0
Small taco salad - 2.6
Vegetarian FF refried beans - 1.6

Snack:
Nonfat milk - 1.8
Granola bars - 3.4

Total: 24.8
WPA balance: 34.0
Water: 48 oz

Day 47 of 50

Breakfast:
Granola bar - 1.4

Lunch:
Salad w/cheese & FF honey dijon dressing - 4
Cottage cheese - 2

Snack:
Baked pita chips - 2.6

Dinner:
Veggie Pad Thai - 12

Snacks:
Nonfat milk - 3.6
Granola bars - 3.4

Total: 29.0
WPA balance: 34.0
Water: 80 oz

I had my weekly WI today and was down another pound this week. This brings my total for my New Year challenge to 5 pounds. I definitely won’t meet my goal, but I’m still thrilled with how I’ve done because, really, how many people can say they actually lost weight over the holidays.

Day 46 of 50

Breakfast:
Coffee w/creamer - 0.5
Granola bar - 1.4

Lunch:
6″ veggie delite sub - 4.0
Lay’s light potato chips - 1.3

Dinner:
Salad w/cheese - 4
Mongolian grill - 4
Premium hot chocolate w/chocolate spoon - 8.1

Snacks:
Granola bar - 1.7

Total: 25.0
WPA balance: 35.0
Water: 48 oz

Day 45 of 50

Breakfast:
None

Lunch:
Pear, walnut & blue cheese salad - 5
MSF Garden Veggie patty - 1.5

Snack:
Hot chocolate w/Chambord - 4

Dinner:
Fake turkey & cheese sandwich - 4.2
Baked Tostitos Scoops - 3.3
Baba Ganoush - 1.1

Snacks:
Nonfat milk - 3.6
Granola bars - 3.4

Total: 26.1
WPA balance: 35.0
Water: 72 oz

Sorry for not updating in nearly a week. Life just seems to get busier this time of year, doesn’t it?! I wonder why?

I had a great time recently visiting with a few of my local stitching friends. We just sat around and laughed for hours, for the most part. I gave each of them a little stitcher’s goodie bag that I put together that contained a cute (IMO) little Christmas tin, 2 skeins each of DMC linen floss and the new DMC color variations floss, a skein of GAST, a package of John James petite needles, an ornament, and a few pieces of Dove chocolates and some Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses. Here’s a pic:

We did take about half hour or so to pass around a few finished projects and some WIPs that we each brought along. One of the ladies had brought along her Prairie Schooler Old World Santas (book #80) stitched over 1. They were gorgeous! So, naturally I had to get the chart. Much to my dismay, I found out that it was apparently OOP. I did manage to find a copy on e(vil)Bay and even managed to win the auction for it. WOOT! My goal is to have all 8 Santas in the collection stitched in time for Christmas next year. We’ll see if that actually happens.

Of course, the downside of going onto the Bay of evil to find 1 thing is that you find lots of other things you want need. I ended up winning a few other auctions as well. Sadly, the two I wanted to win the most ended up going much higher than I was willing to spend for a single chart, even if it is OOP. So, if anyone reading this has any of these Prairie Schooler charts that you would be willing to part with for a reasonable sale or trade, or know of an online vendor where I might be able to purchase them, please let me know.

Home for Christmas - from the Designer Series (DSHC??)
Christmas Miniatures (book #29)
Up on the Housetop (book #25)
Spring Cottage (promotional card)

Here are the things I did manage to win in addition to the aforementioned Old World Santas:

Prairie Schooler Woodland Samplings (book #17 - also OOP)
Prairie Schooler Christmas Trees (book #82 - also OOP)
Glory Bee Bunny Man
A fat quarter of hand-dyed Jobelan in Sand Castle
A fat eighth of Lakeside Linen in Mocha

I got word from the framers that my Quaker Samplings I is ready, but it will be after Christmas before I have a chance to go by and pick it up. In the meantime, I’ve been stitching along on Anything is Possible from Blue Ribbon Designs. If all goes well, I hope to finish it before the year’s end. I’ve also been mulling about ideas for my stitching resolutions for 2007. Once I have them all finalized, I’ll list them here in my blog. Until then …

Happy stitching!

Day 44 of 50

Breakfast:
Toast w/LC light cheese wedge - 1.4
Coffee w/SF creamer - 0.5

Lunch:
Veggie wrap - 3.4
Apple - 1.0

Snack:
FF/SF vanilla latte - 3.2

Dinner:
Huge southwestern salad - 8
3 steak fries - 2

Snacks:
Nonfat milk - 3.6
Granola bars - 3.4

Total: 26.5
WPA balance: 35.0
Water: 72 oz

I’m down to the homestretch! I’ve only got 1 more week to go to meet my current 50 day OP challenge! YAY ME!! Of course, since my New Year challenge with my other WW buddies runs through January 4th (for me), I’m considering staying OP through then which would be an additional 10 day. Only time will tell if I actually do it.

Day 43 of 50

Breakfast:
Z-bar - 2.0
SF Cocoa - 1.0

Lunch:
Dr. Praeger’s Tex-Mex veggie burger - 1.8
Veggie pizza - 3.4

Snack:
Sample at Whole Foods - 1

Dinner:
Portobello mushroom bisque - 2.0
Grilled cheese & fake turkey sandwich - 3.0
Baked Tostitos Scoops w/salsa - 2.8
Organic pretzel sticks - 2.0
Chai latte made w/almond milk - 1.0

Snacks:
Nonfat milk - 1.8
Granola bars - 3.4

Total: 25.2
WPA balance: 35.0
Water: 72 oz

Day 42 of 50

Breakfast:
Z-bar - 2.0

Lunch:
Burger King veggie burger (no mayo) - 6.7

Dinner:
Salad bar at Ruby Tuesday - 8.0

Snacks:
NSA peaches - 1.4
Hot cocoa - 1.0
Granola bars - 3.4

Total: 22.5
WPA balance: 35.0
Water: 64 oz

Day 41 of 50

Breakfast:
FF yogurt - 2.0

Lunch:
Big ass SW salad w/black beans and feta cheese - 6.4

Dinner:
Veggie burgers - 2.6
FF Pringles w/salsa - 2.0
Frozen yogurt - 5.4

Snack:
Nonfat milk - 3.6
Vitalicious muffin tops - 2.6

Total: 23.6
WPA balance: 35.0
Water: 48 oz