Recipe for family fun - cookies, gifts and a bit of snow

Cookies on Christmas eve...

Can't do it without some home made chex mix.

Some gifts just bring out the silly....

Trying to open some gifts that dad wrapped with his trusty tape gun.

Then to Truckee and the snow.....

Christmas morning

I am up before anyone....not that I am so anxious to open gifts or to start the festivities, it is because I always get up early. It is almost a lifelong habit - started when the kids were young and it was to get some quiet time. It stuck and, of course, as you get older...it is what you do. Sometimes I sew, sometimes I "puter", sometimes I read. I always drink coffee and can absolutely NOT drink it without this ... only my current fav is vanilla cinnamon.

If I do not have it, I will take a trip in the wee hours to get it before I have my coffee. Another addiction to something that has absolutely no nutritional value...it is probably not even made of anything real except the taste.

Burpees...Jay and I did 90 yesterday am...he did them in 10:50, I did them in 11:30. Both are incredible times. The last time I did them sub 12 min was when I did 70 something of them. Goes to show you what a little competition and encouragement will do. Only 10 more days and I will have done a burpee challenge without missing a day!!!!

On another topic....do NOT tell Nyia the contents of any Christmas gift...she can't keep anything even under dire threat...she is so bad at this, she can't keep that she told!!! Part of the issue is she is a non-stop talker so she is constantly in need of subject matter coupled with her propensity to say anything and everything that is on her mind. A disaster for Christmas secrets.

This pix is from a previous entry but it makes the point. Love her so.

Anyway....

Merry Christmas to all...I hope that you are as fortunate as I am to have such an incredible family and to have this incredible family with me during the holidays.

Only Two More Days

When I was younger and my sis was in her teens, I went back home for a visit. On her calendar, she had my name on the date of my arrival along with some happy faces/doodles. I was so touched when I saw it.

I do so get it, tho. Jay and T are coming home on Sunday - only two days away - and my calendar has happy doodles on it!!!

Here is a pix of when they embarked on their European adventure almost two years ago!

Hurry home!

Not many posts...

been busy at work - but, incredibly, this week I hit my 10 year anniversary at bullseye country. I hate to be cliche...it does seem just like yesterday. Can't have the next 10 fly by so quickly!!!

Work is work, but there are far worse places I could work and I do have work. They seem to like me, I stay engaged and challenged, I have one of the best teams I have ever worked with, I get a great deal of freedom to choose how I spend my time, I get 5+ weeks vaca, and they pay me!!! All in all not a bad way to spend a decade :-)

Personal Best

Today I did my personal best in:

Deadlift - 180 lbs
Back Squats - 135 lbs

AND did 80 burpees

not bad at all.

Busy and Cold

These days it seems like I have more to do, both work and play, than there is day, and the days are short!!!!

They are also cold - colder than we care to think about or be in. It is pretty, tho...

This is Mt Diablo

two burpee stories

One - a blog follower from my guild asked me to demonstrate what a bumpee was.

Two - on Sunday, I asked Ny, my grand, if she would time my burpees with a stopwatch. I showed her how and as soon as she pressed the start button, she started yelling at me with things like....

Come On Grandma

You are going too slow

The time is getting to 100, hurry up

No stopping

She even went so far as pushing me on the back when I paused between # 30 and #31.

and, then my fav... Is that all you got?

She grew up going to her mom's basketball practices. Clearly, my daughter had some sadistic coaches!!! Sorry, O, if I had only known!

pillowcases and shoelaces

So, we ended up with 265 pillowcases to donate to two organizations - Foster a Dream and one that will send them to those in the military. Another winning Pillowcase Posse season...

In the background is my good friend Francie...we blog but have not seen each other for a bit. Was so fun to hang for an hour or two.

This next one is a keeper...

Nothing like a finished quilt...

Here is the one from the Mystery Quilt class. I finished it so it could be a prize for a party I am going to.. I have grown to really like it!

Update -

Fitness - burpees at 69...gonna do 70 today. They are making my arms stronger...I am better at regular pushups and at pull ups. And they help with my wind (I put this in so my sis could comment). They are still very much NOT my fav.

Did go to CF Tuesday and Thurs this week - I had other stuff the other days. Next week will be back to 3-4.

Been eating ok after the holiday. Will see what the scales say. Do have a party tonight and one tomorrow. So far, I have been pretty good at them - depends upon my mood and whether I have a devil may care, throw caution to the wind, wtf kind of attitude or one of self constraint and self righteousness. Which one sounds better to you??????

Even tho it only takes me less than 12 minutes

67 burpees kick my ass!!!