wittenlover

Petco seems to have the better deal on litter so far. Was definitely unimpressed with the price jump at PetSmart this year for sure. Still waiting on Meijer. If you have one near you, they may beat both.

Congratulations on the new kitten Reinholt1! He's adorable! A word of advice (if you've never had a kitten) - get him used to nail clipping early. I just use a normal "human" nail clipper on my kitties, taking off just the very tip of each claw. Start by just handling each paw (no clipping) so he gets used to the feel of it. Once he's used to it, just do one paw at a time with the clipping unless he's chill enough to do more than one at a time. This is usually easiest when they're tired/sleepy but not always.

Thanks! Honestly, medically supervised ketogenic diet combined with intermittent fasting. Keep in mind, every body is different and I also had no preexisting health conditions (other than the excess weight), so what has worked for me won't be right for everyone. As the weight came off, my energy levels increased and I have added more exercise into my routine simply because I feel like I need to burn the energy off. There are nights I come home these days and I feel a need to *DO* something. Often times, that means throwing on my running gear and going out to run about 5k. I can't even imagine a night where I would've wanted/felt the need to do that 2 years ago. Crazy.

I've got one very dear friend that's getting harder to buy for as the years go by simply because he knows I'm the one who always comes up with something unique that he absolutely loves. Hard standard to keep living up to! That said, he gets a full batch of his favorite lemon cookies from the recipe I found several years back along with a pile of other sweet treats (cookies and fudge) that he shares with his family. Beyond that, I just keep my eyes peeled throughout the year. I'm always on the lookout for something that suits his interests that I know he could either use (a Captain Morgan bottle repurposed into a hanging lamp, for example) or just enjoy (he loves all things Ford Motor Company, so I've bought wall clocks, signage, and other knick knacks he can hang either in his house or in his garage). So far this year? I've got nothing yet beyond the baked goodies. Oof. The hunt continues. lol

Set up the reminder on your phone! I've got mine set now for the first of every month for the next year!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HPWDWT6/ref=cm_gf_aza_i06_d_p0_c0_qd0___________________FrpVzpGqYaheMrft0oUF Fun shaped silicone cupcake liners for the baker in your life. (Heck, *I* want these!) lol

Got mine the other day. No bonus items, but I’ll definitely get plenty of use out of it! Thanks, Brad!

Heh. Yeah probably. Depends on how many of us manage to stay in it this year.

Exactly. Want to "cheat" with something tasty? Do it. Heck, have a "cheat weekend" from time to time. Just don't let it become a bad habit again. (Doc is fully on board with me having some amazing local dairy-made ice cream, fresh bread from the bakery, etc., within reason.) And if I do have a particularly "bad" stretch (say I'm traveling for work with limited options), I just remind myself it's temporary and get back to eating better as soon as I'm home. Honestly, nowadays I know when I've eaten poorly compared to what my body wants. I've learned it doesn't like a lot of what I used to feed it. I find it ironically hilarious when I'm absolutely CRAVING a massive salad. Who'd have thunk it? lol

Thanks! And yep. Not chasing a specific number, actually. Doc and I are monitoring overall health right now and I can still stand to drop a bit more. Part of why we have a range. When I first started this process, he asked me straight up if I had a final number in mind. My response was "healthy". He pressed me further and I told him I honestly didn't know, seeing as I've pretty much always been bigger. He wouldn't let up, so I thought for a few moments and then threw a number out and he countered with "would you be OK if I said (a range of 10-20 lbs higher)?" I said "Absolutely. My health is more important to me than the final number on the scale." He said "Good. Your head is in the right place. Let's get you on the right track toward your goal." Been putting the work in ever since. Found something I can truly live with long term and I'm finding the maintenance, while still a challenge some days, is easier than I thought it would be now that I have the good habits established.

My list for this year (pretty much the same as most years): Chocolate chip cookies (about 35 dozen)Peanut butter cookies (about 15 dozen)White chocolate chip macadamia cookies (about 20 dozen)Oatmeal PB choc chip cookies (made with mini choc chips, about 15 dozen)Candy cane kiss cookies (Chocolate cookies with a Hershey's candy cane kiss pressed in the middle - basically Xmas version of PB blossoms) (about 8 dozen)Lemon "sparkle" cookies (totally from scratch - I zest and juice the lemons myself, about 7 dozen)Snickerdoodles (about 10-15 dozen)Brownies (3 9x13 pans)Chocolate peppermint 3-layer fudge (3 8x8 pans)Chocolate raspberry 3-layer fudge (this year using homemade raspberry extract from a friend who makes it! Woo!) (2 8x8 pans)Pumpkin bread (3 loaves)I think that's everything. Fully half of everything on the list needs to be done and shipped by Dec 11th at the latest (for my NASCAR boys). If I get adventurous, I may try thumbprint cookies this year. Got a good friend (& their family) that I think will appreciate them.

Veterans of online BF shopping around here can definitely help you navigate. Start asking questions early and there are plenty of GDers that can get you pointed in the right direction and/or help you plan as the ads drop. As for me, I will tell you I do my Kohl's BF online late Sunday night as soon as the sale goes live. At that time, there's usually a decent coupon (20% off maybe?) you can still use to maximize your savings if you do your shopping within the first hour or two after the sale goes live. I use in-store pickup option as much as I can for theirs and can usually have all my in-store pickup items in hand by the end of the day on Monday of Thanksgiving week. Handy, since that's when I start a lot of my baking and I'm usually getting yet another set of stackable wire cooling racks to add to my growing collection (which is still, amazingly, my bottleneck point in my baking process in spite of the fact that I can have - I think - 20+ dozen cookies cooling with the racks I have now).

Can't wait to get shopping for my SS! This will be fun!

That was fun last night, Brad! Thanks! Looking forward to the next one.

Bummer for those without Prime. Glad I have it to use for anything I may want.

https://www.amazon.com/Skyzonal%C2%AE-Building-bricks-building-christmas/dp/B0162RDD0I/ref=bbp_bb_5e8416_st_8174_w_6?psc=1&smid=A378UXBSL0K1JO For the Lego-obsessed coffee/tea drinker in your life...

Gonna do my best to remember each month to at least stop in and say hi! I've truly enjoyed chatting with everyone throughout the year, even when I've missed a month, though. It's like hanging out in the living room with friends all year long. That said, I'm entering this Christmas season over 125 lbs lighter than I was two years ago and I feel better than I think I ever have as an adult. I went digging through my closet recently to see if I had *any* dresses that would fit for the work Christmas party this year. I went all the way back to the high school prom dress my mom made for me. Nope. Even *that* one's TOO BIG! Crazy! I just wish Mom were still here for me to show her. I know she'd be proud that I finally kicked my butt in gear and got myself into better shape before the health problems (joint pain, sleep issues, etc) manifested to a point of no return. Doc's thrilled with my progress and, while I still have some weight to lose, my tests are coming back solid, numbers-wise. Good stuff. Doc has told me not to worry - these last 30-40 lbs will take far longer to lose than the first 40 did. That kind of encouragement means the world. With the start of November, I'm doing my yearly "30 days of thankfulness" on my personal facebook page. Not only does it keep me mindful of the many, many things I have to be thankful for, it's fun seeing friends pop on and comment with their blessings in their lives. Today I re-shared what I first wrote six years ago because I truly believe it is even more true today than it was then: "I am thankful for my friends. I have many that are so close as to be called my "extended family". Some of them I've known for many years. Others, I never would have imagined I'd be that close to - my brothers from another mother that work on NASCAR's pit road. Much love and many thanks to all of you, my friends. You are all special to me in your own ways." As the years go by, the bonds get stronger. I've moved from calling my NASCAR guys "brothers from another mother" (though that definitely still applies) to calling them my "track family" because they truly are. One, I even know most of his family. Heck, I'm closer to his older brother than I am to him these days. Crazy how life shakes out. Truly. This applies to many of you here in GD-land as well. Thank you for all the fun and joy you bring into my life. We are as much a family here bonded by love (and love of SALES! Ha!) as just about any other community I find myself in. To say I am incredibly blessed is an understatement.

Agreed on both counts. Don't get less than 8GB of RAM.

Stalking my mailbox daily!

Only takes one post to be a winner. You never know!

Bring it!!!!!!!

Before & after. [emoji39]

Always up for new recipes that I can enjoy without having to "cheat" too much, especially around the holidays. Will share any I find and gladly try one or two from here too. Honestly, one of my favorite things to make right now, side dish-wise, is brussels sprouts roasted in the oven with high quality bacon. Total time: ~25 mins, including prep. (max. 20 mins cook time) Ingredients: ~ 3/4 - 1 lb of sprouts (enough to fill a large cookie sheet with space between them) 2-3 slices of thick cut bacon, chopped into 1/2"-3/4" pieces (add an extra slice if you're a bacon fiend like I can be sometimes!) ~ 2 tbsp your choice of oil, suitable for a 400* oven temp Salt and pepper to taste Grated parmesan (optional, to taste) Directions: 1) Preheat oven to 400*. 2) Spread the brussels sprouts out on the cookie sheet, cutting larger sprouts in half to help with even cooking (for easier cleanup, I cover my cookie sheet in foil first) 3) Drizzle oil over the sprouts. 4) Dust the sprouts with salt and pepper to taste (I also occasionally add some garlic powder) 5) Scatter the chopped bacon pieces over the entirety of the sheet. 6) Place sheet in preheated oven on middle rack for 10 minutes 7) After 10 minutes, stir sprouts, using wooden spatula (or other oven temp-appropriate utensil). 8) Return sprouts to the oven for an additional 7-10 minutes (depending on your oven and how well done you prefer your sprouts). [i usually check mine after 7 minutes and add more time if needed.] 9) Once sprouts are to your desired done-ness, remove from the oven. 10) If using parmesan, sprinkle on the sprouts when you first remove them from the oven. 11) Stir sprouts and pour into serving dish (for nice presentation) and/or just let the fam dig in with a serving spoon (if just a casual family dinner). Store any leftovers in whatever handy airtight container you have available. I usually reheat mine in a skillet on the stove top to get some crispness in them.

Agreed! This is always such a fun one every year!

No RedCard, actually. So with RedCard, it would've been cheaper still.