FridayConfession: Not ready for Christmas

There's just a week to go and so much to do. I'm not ready for Christmas, and I'm taking advantage of my three-day weekend this week to get it all done.

Here's what's left:

1. Gift wrapping, and lots of it. Like this, this and this.

2. Gift buying for about half on my list. Here's some ideas.

3. Cookie baking. These, these and these.

4. Holiday cleaning. Because look at this.

5. Christmas partying. With them. And him.

6. Snowflake snipping. Here and here.

7. Knitting. Lots and lots of knitting. In fact, why am I not knitting right now?

I think I'm going to need a lot of this and this to make it through.

FridayConfession: Quitter

A few weeks ago, I shared that I've gained about 15 pounds over the past year. A lot of life events contributed to that gain, and I returned to my old standby to lose: WeightWatchers. I lost about 20 pounds on the program last year, and it's a good plan. But I never really felt like it fit me. I tend to eat when I'm sad or nervous or stressed, so no amount of tracking points mattered at certain times.

Last week I started listening to myself and my body. Instead of getting in my 8-point breakfast at 6 a.m. on the dot, I ate when I felt hungry and what I felt like eating. When lunchtime rolled around that day, I still wasn't hungry, so I kept working until I was. I'd worked up a good appetite and, again, ate exactly what I was hungry for. Some days, I admit this means eating potato chips for lunch and ice cream for a snack. OMG. Potato chips and ice cream. So far, my pants are looser and I am happier.

FridayConfession: My Black Friday purchases

There were definitely times last night during the Black Friday chaos that I wondered why anyone would do it. In some ways though, it is exciting and festive.

At the end of the night, at about 5 a.m I broke down and purchased these three items from Gap. I was so tired at the time that I don't even know if I grabbed the right sizes. It was all for myself, but hey, I earned it right? ;) Those sound like the words of someone who needs to be on "Intervention."

And just for the record, most of this stuff was under $20, not the original prices listed on Polyvore.

FridayConfession: My Black Friday purchases by heidireisenauer featuring slim jeans

GAP dolman sleeve top
$50 - gap.com

GAP slim jeans
$70 - gap.com

GAP tote hand bag
$60 - gap.com

FridayConfession: Getting fatter

It's time to come clean and make a decision to change it: I've gained weight.

Since I got married ten months ago, I've packed on about 15 pounds. I worked so hard to lose these same 15 pounds a couple of years ago, and I managed to keep them off until earlier this year.

It started with losing my grandpa in April. I used it as an excuse to skip my runs and eat to comfort myself as he was in the hospital. Following that there was a host of other excuses. Then came our honeymoon, and I decided to eat everything France and Germany had to offer. After we returned, I got a new job at work, and it shifted my schedule. The point is I found any and every excuse to eat something because I wanted it. And I ate way more of it than I needed.

I rejoined Weight Watchers last month, and haven't seen much of a change. Probably because I'm not sticking to it. I don't want this to be a weight-loss blog. It's a lifestyle blog, but sometimes life involves gaining weight and reassessing your health.

So blog friends, part of my life is going to start revolving around eating better and moving more. Anyone want to join me to try to lose 10 pounds by New Years? My goal is to fit into the dress I was going to wear for my rehearsal dinner (before it was canceled by a blizzard) for my first anniversary.