Brrrr.....but so toasty warm in my house. I am so thankful for heat in my house.

I just copied all your chili notes onto the Hamburger Soup recipe. That way I can see all of them at a quick glance. I will look up Butter Bob online for the recipe Nic uses.

I sure miss Trig and Blue but I just wanted to let you know that you three rock my world. Who needs Trig and Blue? Just kidding. They are missed and it is not the same when someone is gone...never mind two at the same time!

I am sitting here seeing my granddaughter swinging in her back yard across the street. It is cold out, but swinging to her is therapeutic. It is the same for my SD.

I have been CapD the last few days and it feels so good. I don't want it to be a first of the year kind of thing. I am really not doing anything different...just keeping within my carb range. I want to start the soup as soon as I can. But that will involve a grocery run for me and that is not going to happen for a few days! I plan to substitute the soup for two meals. I also want to include the other ideas I have had the past couple of years....IF 16:8 and my TRUE plan (eating a combination of how BLue and TRig eat. I may only try to eat Trig's way two days a week and eat Blue's way the other five.

Nic:
I HOPE the Cruise is a motivation for me. Sometimes it can stress me out and work the opposite. I remember coaching the Alpine Ski team for Special Olympics in Utah. It was international competition. I wanted so badly to lose some weight and to make sure the team uniform fit me...snow pants and a winter jacket. Well, it barely did. I actually put on a few pounds before the competition. The hat fit good and the mittens!

How fun to wake up and only have the two boys upstairs. I bet there was a big sigh let out from you! Your NYE party sounds so fun. You are the queen of organizing special things and having traditions. I am impressed.

Lori:
Glad you got a little extra sleep thanks to the cat not waking you up! Thanks, too, for your thoughts on how you make your chili. I KNOW you have told me that before because when you first said you did not have a recipe..I was like...Rats, I have asked before and that is exactly what you said last time! I wrote it down for sure this time ONTO the Hamburger Soup recipe. If I ask again will you please gently tell me to look at that recipe!

I too am struggling coming up with my word for 2018. I am not going to rush it. I know what I want it to convey, but have not found the perfect word yet.

I hope you guys enjoy your NYE pork and sauerkraut meal. Jaz told me of frozen mashed potatoes at the grocery store and I bought them and loved them. I think they might be called Alexia. I am not going to eat them often, but I just thought if you were missing the potatoes with this meal, that might be an option.

Gotta go....I have not forgotten you, Jaz!