The Fluffy Girl and a Little "Elf" Control

Hello to all!  Merry almost Christmas.  Our Christmas celebrations have begun!! WE had a lovely evening last night looking at Christmas lights!  We have a neighborhood just around the corner from us that decorates in an elaborate fashion and has been doing so  since I was a kid...just yesterday!  HA! 



 
 The lights were fantastic as usual. The pictures don't do them justice.  We had a great time listening to Christmas music and enjoying the sights and sounds of the Season!!! 









Today has been a day of shopping for last minute items...groceries and getting ready for the rest of a busy weekend/week!  Of course, I am making every effort to watch my food, eat healthy and do my best to get in a few workouts over the next few days.  We are taking two lighter desserts for Christmas Day with the family.  My friend Patsy made these for us last weekend and we are taking both to share on Tuesday.

One of them sounds really different, is simple and I loved it.

You take grapes (color of your choice) chilled, lightly toss them in light sour cream (I know it sounds weird), and sprinkle each serving with a bit of brown sugar!  Fabulous!!! I am not kidding!  I am someone who has a thing about mixing foods that typically do not go together...however, this is great!!! Be brave and try it!!!

This Holiday Season is going to be about portion control, making the best healthy choices available at meals and not overdoing anything!  I am going to make sure I eat a healthy breakfast so that I do not GORGE at lunch or dinner!! I will have to use a little "Elf Control" (See what I did there??? LOL).
 I may even squeeze in walk on Christmas Day if the weather permits. 

OK...so back to the Festivities...We typically spend Christmas Eve early evening with Donna, Bill and Emily...Church,dinner and presents...then late Christmas Eve...we open presents with Aunt Charlotte via phone (she is 2 hours earlier in Cali...the time difference helps).  However, it is usually a really FULL day and sometimes a little crazy for Donna, who prepares a wonderful Christmas Eve meal (Prime Rib, Potatoes, Veggies, Salad, etc...). 

So, we are dividing and conquering this year.  We had our fabulous meal tonight and will be doing Church and presents on Christmas Eve.  Tonight was great.  We took photos to send out as email Christmas cards, post on Facebook and even sent Kerri Walsh a Christmas message on Twitter ( I'm a goofball...I know!).  We had a great meal and a light dessert, watched a little Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and laughed a lot!  I am Blessed!

Tomorrow is church and our Christmas with my Uncle...it will be another busy, fun day! 

OH....and I will be wrapping my Mom's presents.  Bless her heart...I never seem to get my wrapping done early!!!  But she is getting some good stuff!!! 

Here are some pics from tonight and the last few days. 

I hope you guys have a fantastic Sunday and are having a Christmas Season filled with Blessings, Lots of Joy and the Spirit of Christ.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN7LW0Y00kE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WAJd3Do0Q8

 

 

¹⁸ This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about^[d]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet^[e] did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

²⁰ But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,^[f] because he will save his people from their sins.”

²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³ “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”^[g] (which means “God with us”). ~Matthew I-NIV