Surviving the holidays!

So I, as many women break the holidays down to manageable chunks. Over time I have learned to pick up gifts along the way that make me think of the recipient. Usually I can find more affordable gift instead of the last minute grab and buy. I think the gifts are more thoughtful, so more satisfying for me as the giver. Rather than that last minute gift basket filled with potted meats.

I start thinking about my Christmas letter. Oh yeah, it takes me time to put the right ingredient of humble pie and out right bragging that I get to do every Christmas. And I know from my own experience that when a person receives a Christmas letter no matter how put off you were by this person's letter last year, you can't help but read the thing. I know I have a captive audience.
There are family members who I only connect with this time of year. So slam them with a mountain of information about life in Oregon.

Food. Now here are the landmines of the holidays. How to get to Jan. 2nd and still weight the same.....pass me the chocolate mass of goo....I lick my fingers so much this time of year that I don't have to use lotion. I am still trying to figure this one out. This year I have a plan! Yesterday I went to Barnes and Noble and bought Martha Stewart's Cookie cook book. Oh yeah, I am going to drool over those photos and recipes without baking a single recipe, hoping that I won't gain weight in my pass time. I look at the photo of Martha and I swear she looks the same as 20 years ago...amazing what a little prison will do for the complexion. Or maybe she has the same brush artist used on the cover of Oprah. If it looks like I am not succeeding in the "no gain" by looking at this book then the back up battle plan is to make dozens of cookies for my family/friends so that they can gain weight and I will look the same in comparison....hummmm