Dear Santa…

This past week my family had some friends over for dinner, and of course Santa was part of our conversation. Being December and all it’s not uncommon to discuss the greatest man that never existed and just how magical the thought of him is. One of the little boys that came over just turned 9. He is in that stage in life where he wants to believe so bad in Santa, but the kids at school keep trying to tell him Santa and the Elf’s are all made up.

In my house believing in Santa is part of the Christmas spirit. “If you don’t believe, you don’t receive.” I start writing my letter to Santa on June 15^th, the day after my birthday. Poor Santa! The good news is my Christmas list gets shorter every year, it’s just the fact that the items on the list get more expensive. This year we had 14 Cusack’s shoved into one home, forcing Santa to come tonight. So here is my letter to Santa:

Dear Santa,

We are excited to have you back to the Cusack house! A lot is going to be different around here this Christmas. Let me address the most important issue first. We will not be leaving you any cookies this year but rather a plate of delicious vegetables and protein. No, the vegetables are not reindeer food. It doesn’t taste too bad but your right; it’s not the same as cookies. I have been sugar free for almost 8 months now Santa but I have not lost my sweetness. That is why I am still on your nice list! The milk I left you is soy milk. It may taste a little strange, but it’s good with Chai tea. I just don’t have any right now so straight soy will have to do.

Second thing, let’s talk about clothing. My shoe size hasn’t changed so you are safe there with the cute boots I’m wanting. But my pants are another story, I am dropping sizes like crazy! I love getting my pants at Kohls because I think they switch the clothing tags so you are in a size smaller. Maybe your elves will do that too? I wouldn’t mind size 4 or 6 pants, but now I may be asking too much.

Third and final thing Santa, remember my trainer Lana? Well she OFTEN calls me a “Hot Mess” cause I’m not organized, maybe something to keep all my mess together? I hate to say this, but most of it is floating around the back of my car. I’m pretty sure I won’t get a boy friend until I keep my car clean! (Don’t worry Santa, I realize you have limitations. I have left the idea of a BF off the list this year!) So a cute gym bag perhaps? Something that makes me look good, without trying. Good luck ;)

Thanks for coming a few days late Santa! I understand my “family matters” cut into your vacation time with the Misses, but we needed you to come the night of the 27^th! If you have any questions about my list, I’m trying to sleep upstairs. Feel free to post on my FB wall, I’m sure I’m not sleeping cause I’m on FB.

Merry Christmas Ho Hoer!

Your Favorite Girl on the Nice List

One Less Day

Snack Time

Like most of you, I am totally a creature of habit. There are some things that always have to be done before I can do something. One of these things I’m talking about is finals week. I know it’s coming, every year I know when it’s coming, and every year I have to have one thing to get me through the night. Snacks

Snacks not only allow for me to eat my stress, they always keep me plugging away. Normally after midnight the most delicious tasting snacks that are oh so bad for me would be my first choice. For example (as you see in a picture from last semester) I had a few staple snacks for finals week. Purple Rock Star, Pull-n-Peel Twizzlers, Starbursts, and Cheetos.

This semester, as I’m starting to stay up LATE I need some healthy snack options. Things that are crunchy, soft, taste good, and give me lots of brain power! Do you have any ideas? I am desperate or else I’ll be headed to the gas station to get my old habits. Any help would be nice!!

One Less Day

Own It

After today’s conversation with Lana, I still have to learn my lesson. I have yet to understand and fully grasp the concept of “Me”. One would think that I am fully aware with the amount I talk about myself, but in all honesty almost all things come before me. This month would be easy to excuse. And I’m pretty sure deep down I did. I hit 50 pounds on month six and celebrate. The celebration is not the problem it is the length of the celebration that killed me. I allowed myself to celebrate all month without getting back to the grind.

But the excuses are enough, and now it’s time for me to own my choices. I choose my choice. This month there was no weight loss, and only a 1 inch difference in my measurements. That may be OK if I wasn’t full of excuses for my choices. I need to own it. I also need to realize that my priority needs to be me. Not in a selfish way, but in a believing in myself way.

I should not expect that my life change overnight, but it’s hard to think that it’s taking longer than seven months. But if you think about it, my forgetting about “me” has been for 23 years. So reversing that in seven months would be completely unexpected. In so many ways my life is changing, but in a few major ways I still have a lot of work to do, inside and out.

I would have never guessed that as my body changed my life would change drastically. I hope that I have not disappointed you or even discouraged you with my lack of weight loss this month. I think the most important thing to understand is that this was almost expected at some point in time. Press on toward the prize. It’s a marathon not a sprint.

One Less Day