It's going to be a long and busy day

Just had breakfast of an egg, thin slice of Canadian bacon and English muffin. It as a frozen store brand, Fred Myers here, but probably Kroegers in the rest of the world. It was a "Lite" version at 220 calories. Not sure of Points since not in Weight Watcher scan app, and I'm too rushed (or lazy) to put in the PointsPlus app. Love these app. Sort of tasty, fast breakfast.<br /><br />Great visit with my sister last night. She couldn't stop crying when she saw me. I told her I sure hoped they were tears of happiness and not sadness. She laughed.<br /><br />Husband is here and we're heading out to see my sister this morning, then appointments and then the house (the dreaded house and mass of paperwork).<br /><br />No internet until I get home on Sunday morning.<br /><br />Happy New Year!

It's going to be a long and busy day

Just had breakfast of an egg, thin slice of Canadian bacon and English muffin. It as a frozen store brand, Fred Myers here, but probably Kro...

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Weigh In + Weekly Goals + More Christmas Celebrations

Well the verdict is in.... I am up 0.5 lbs and I'm okay with that.  After the serious eating challenges I've had almost the entire month of December, I'm not fretting about 0.5 lbs.  I know that things will start to move in the right direction this week!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrR2fz6ykPOlqqtwQS8_iJgypy3me7h40U-Z9dMOyf1FUR88WXLFQ0VN3q5CU93JWxXqvJyOmIitVRDFryAGVY34YmrK4x2TmqUiVfEv76UBvZ-dI59lLrBFPzveVnU8vob32OevtIYLE/s1600/christmas+gifts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrR2fz6ykPOlqqtwQS8_iJgypy3me7h40U-Z9dMOyf1FUR88WXLFQ0VN3q5CU93JWxXqvJyOmIitVRDFryAGVY34YmrK4x2TmqUiVfEv76UBvZ-dI59lLrBFPzveVnU8vob32OevtIYLE/s400/christmas+gifts.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">sad that Christmas is over though</td></tr></tbody></table>As I stated <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2011/12/merry-christmas-week-recap.html">the other day</a>, this Christmas was awesome.  They seem to get better and better each year!  Despite my <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2011/12/one-day-at-time.html">battles</a> with the baking, I am still glad I did it because the recipients seemed so grateful.  Plus, there is something about putting in some hard work and seeing the smiles it brings to people's faces that make it all worth it :).  <br /><br />Together, Joel and I made this red velvet cake that we took to his grandparents on Christmas day.  It was quite a hit!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTznu2aWyrAWhKEiZMLsIcCc80Fa1K2TJXwo453qxnfTjoK-NQuA-nS7aPJ0roH6CsDQ1AZvdqt2Q-OSDz9Y80pKjgszKRiZlNE7rYLIaMCOP31kSMn3WLycNXPieTTSbK82B6hDc1ShY/s1600/red+velvet+cake+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTznu2aWyrAWhKEiZMLsIcCc80Fa1K2TJXwo453qxnfTjoK-NQuA-nS7aPJ0roH6CsDQ1AZvdqt2Q-OSDz9Y80pKjgszKRiZlNE7rYLIaMCOP31kSMn3WLycNXPieTTSbK82B6hDc1ShY/s400/red+velvet+cake+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I did the baking and the white icing, Joel hand drew & iced the reindeer and Noel.<br /> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3COfPJwlTX8EOZT5FXjJIXDmeKI7znMxnxQSo1VS1NUxc-_JEkSPJX0IiSyYEa_BJU2KMYyveTTdMdsWSy9SJS0_d5Y74cADWoPJUkIOlSvdc6CUMOhZ8CAqU_ekHiyjMisnyhVOlULw/s1600/bhg+red+velvet+cake+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3COfPJwlTX8EOZT5FXjJIXDmeKI7znMxnxQSo1VS1NUxc-_JEkSPJX0IiSyYEa_BJU2KMYyveTTdMdsWSy9SJS0_d5Y74cADWoPJUkIOlSvdc6CUMOhZ8CAqU_ekHiyjMisnyhVOlULw/s400/bhg+red+velvet+cake+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The only thing I would do differently in regard to this cake was bake it for less time.  It was a little on the dry side, but overall, not bad for my first try at red velvet.<br /><br />Another rewarding part of Christmas is giving to my niece and nephew.  It's so cool watching them open their gifts and seeing their reactions.<br /> <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK_-S2AIUqj7O2a201lHUid2I5Np4nuLh-9bOVE5VKP3XBS_qTUUa2AoNqsgxxcAS-8Yk4vQBjsxCD3AhdjMvH6utxrE2afwIsDqg7boXChxo-BcJOhyphenhyphenp8CwrGmO4BfXnQlaedCB4gIbk/s1600/rexon+bumbo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK_-S2AIUqj7O2a201lHUid2I5Np4nuLh-9bOVE5VKP3XBS_qTUUa2AoNqsgxxcAS-8Yk4vQBjsxCD3AhdjMvH6utxrE2afwIsDqg7boXChxo-BcJOhyphenhyphenp8CwrGmO4BfXnQlaedCB4gIbk/s400/rexon+bumbo.jpg" width="318" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rexon in his new Bumbo with a book, of course :)</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsYFdtSf0HMUTrgCo9T_PPoDiAX-GaoGO3cQwUpStsNCWJcBRvvwSqmaAOWo8AZeL4WmkxcDW5BXRfmv5UYmRzsYHX9mfKUws_ZmDKqmmvzsSjJRB5G_ON4IKQcAa2r-1U07qcCy2K19g/s1600/christmas+2011+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsYFdtSf0HMUTrgCo9T_PPoDiAX-GaoGO3cQwUpStsNCWJcBRvvwSqmaAOWo8AZeL4WmkxcDW5BXRfmv5UYmRzsYHX9mfKUws_ZmDKqmmvzsSjJRB5G_ON4IKQcAa2r-1U07qcCy2K19g/s400/christmas+2011+010.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh, hey Merlin!</td></tr></tbody></table>Oh yeah, and then there was Dad and one of his new toys - the self-proclaimed Gift of the Year...<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNfeagDyI1-CFCM9rNaAKYWdpIdcj26x1Z67_F1zVZPIUAPVhiqrKCY9vVYaqBAqOIgVGuqbl9y6vyICyhTwtdxb7wHFtq3foSf-eyGmGvUxd5Uf8WLb4VAQc3TdOnKSLInW49LURkVok/s1600/dad+wii.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNfeagDyI1-CFCM9rNaAKYWdpIdcj26x1Z67_F1zVZPIUAPVhiqrKCY9vVYaqBAqOIgVGuqbl9y6vyICyhTwtdxb7wHFtq3foSf-eyGmGvUxd5Uf8WLb4VAQc3TdOnKSLInW49LURkVok/s400/dad+wii.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />Also, another decision that was made final this week was our wedding date:  <b>October 6, 2012</b>!  We made our deposit on Wednesday when I took my parents to see the wedding venue.  I'm so glad and relieved that the venue has been decided upon and we can begin to proceed with photographer and dj selections.<br /><br />On to the weekly goals! <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEPHHXZcGayhBxS9vC7YcoFq6_ZHzGYSWuOo-BlOdbMWpof09vHPM20Oa2UQfXqzy0bmBTUxveiaJW5X_APpzAfF_nB2GxclJGudMWazU-Mg7SUXmA6CUvvFRcVYsiloZLUl2ZEVaEQ0A/s1600/weight-watchers-diet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEPHHXZcGayhBxS9vC7YcoFq6_ZHzGYSWuOo-BlOdbMWpof09vHPM20Oa2UQfXqzy0bmBTUxveiaJW5X_APpzAfF_nB2GxclJGudMWazU-Mg7SUXmA6CUvvFRcVYsiloZLUl2ZEVaEQ0A/s1600/weight-watchers-diet.jpg" /></a></div><br /><b><span style="color: blue;">Goals for the week:</span></b><br />Stay within daily Points+ allowance (39) for 5 of the 7 days. If I have to delve in to the Weekly Points+ allowance, I want to use no more than 34 of them, leaving a balance of 15. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><b style="color: blue;">Potential Challenges + Solutions:</b></div><ol><li><b>New Year's Eve:</b> I think I will be safe on the menu part since I am preparing the food, but the alcohol consumption will be a challenge.  </li><li><b>Going over daily Points+ allowance:</b>  Back to this again.  As I've stated before, I struggle with this every week.  I have a 4 day weekend coming up ahead of me and with that time I plan to construct a menu for the upcoming week to keep me well on track.     </li></ol><b style="color: blue;">Planned Activity: </b><br />I'm sticking to 2 days of activity this upcoming week again.  If I do more, then that's a bonus.  The activity of choice will most likely be the elliptical.<br /><br />Speaking of activity options, Joel and I had started the <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2011/08/august-goals.html">New Rules of Lifting challenge</a> back in August.  I really enjoyed this because it shook up the dull cardio routine that I had been doing for almost 8 months straight.  We slacked off on the challenge big time in October and November, only completing Stage 1.  Last week, while on lunch at work, I read through Stage 2 and once again I'm intimidated.  Many of the moves seem like they will be difficult to learn, and I'm not too excited about re-acclimating myself to the meat-head side of the gym. It will be even worse this time of year, with all the New Year's resolution people.  Dang it.  We desperately need to get our butts back in gear with the weight lifting - it was really helpful and it broke up the same, dull routine of cardio.  I just can't find the motivation to do it.<br /><br /><b>What are your plans for New Year's Eve? </b> Almost every year since I've lived in the DC area, my parents come between Christmas and NYE and we end up doing nothing.  So lame we are. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixIOIH16mT__FflnxQcAsABWxOdraNmbzauLUwvyw2vLyFa5UENCGHGn_Wn1L3xymqzJpOZj5zM6bNYDB8mRiXMhx8EicqifK3E6HHThk2-5g_NoBSKz3kimNqHhK381zCDcO_LejLMWI/s1600/NYE+2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixIOIH16mT__FflnxQcAsABWxOdraNmbzauLUwvyw2vLyFa5UENCGHGn_Wn1L3xymqzJpOZj5zM6bNYDB8mRiXMhx8EicqifK3E6HHThk2-5g_NoBSKz3kimNqHhK381zCDcO_LejLMWI/s400/NYE+2010.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NYE two years ago... LAME</td></tr></tbody></table><br />This year, Joel doesn't have to work for once, and so we want to at least go out to a bar for a few drinks and then come back here to hang out.<br /><br />Happy New Year to you and your family!

Christmas Weekly Weight Watchers Goals Weigh In + Weekly Goals + More Christmas Celebrations

Well the verdict is in.... I am up 0.5 lbs and I'm okay with that.  After the serious eating challenges I've had almost the entire m...

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IMF Seeks Collective World Bailout

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Now IMF Seeks Collective, World Bail-Out of Europe</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">via The Daily Bell</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">December, 2011 – by Staff Report</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>IMFwants the world to save Europe .. Christine Lagarde., the managing director of the IMF, said the escalating crisis now needed to be addressed as "collectively as possible" ... The European financial crisis is "escalating" and is so serious that it is unlikely to be solved by eurozone countries alone, the head of the International Monetary Fund warned Thursday night. British taxpayers are now likely to be involved in an internationally co-ordinated bail-out led by the International Monetary Fund [IMF] for countries in the single currency. Christine Lagarde, the managing director of the IMF, said the escalating crisis now needed to be addressed as "collectively as possible". Without action, the world faces the spectre of a 1930s-style depression, she said. – Montreal Gazette/UK Telegraph </i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Dominant Social Theme:</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> Unshackle the IMF to save the world.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Free-Market Analysis:</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> Right on schedule, the International Monetary Fund's Christine Lagarde has emerged to call for a united, Western effort to salvage the Eurozone and perhaps the euro.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is entirely predictable in our view and has to do with the larger strategy of the Anglosphere power elite, which is to create a worldwide economic crisis in order to provide the requisite centralizing solution. If one wants to create global governance, a few "eggs" may have to be broken in the process.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Of course, as we've pointed out before, the preference of the powers-that-be would be to keep the EU together and expand it, along with the euro. But the alternative course has its attractions, too, if one is trying to build world government. Out of chaos ... order.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">And here comes the IMF. It is no surprise that the International Monetary Fund is raising its profile once again. It was developed after World War II as part of a larger global-government-in-waiting. In fact, the history of the modern age is the history of wars and economic depressions, each leading to greater sociopolitical and economic centralization.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">We have come to call this trend "directed history" because not only do the results seem predictable but so do the events leading up to them. It is just as Shakespeare once said: "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Only he didn't mean that history was being organized and directed from the top. But in the 19th and 20th centuries anyway that certainly seems to have been what happened. From the American Civil War on, especially, one can see the centralization of society advance, not only in the US but throughout the West.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Through the twin tools of war and central banking, a power elite located in the City of London with subsidiaries in DC, and the Vatican has advanced global governance step by step.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">It has used dominant social themes in order to frighten Western middle classes into giving up power and wealth to specially created globalist facilities. The most pervasive political tool is the UN, and its funding source is the central banking mechanism. The IMF is a large part of the mechanism as well. Here's some more from the article:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Mrs Lagarde spoke out after other European countries indicated that they were unlikely to back a new treaty designed to shore up the single currency. Hungary and the Czech Republic said they would not agree to any new deal that involved European-wide taxes. David Cameron has already vetoed any British involvement. Yesterday, the head of the IMF described the prospects for the global economy as "quite gloomy".</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>"There is no economy in the world, whether low-income countries, emerging markets, middle-income countries or super-advanced economies that will be immune to the crisis that we see not only unfolding but escalating," Mrs Lagarde said."If the international community doesn't work together, the risk from an economic point of view is that of retraction, rising protectionism, isolation.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>"This is exactly the description of what happened in the Thirties and what followed is not something we are looking forward to." She added: "It is not a crisis that will be resolved by one group of countries taking action. It is going to be hopefully resolved by all countries, all regions, all categories of countries actually taking action."</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">We can see from this excerpt how direct Lagarde is being. From our point of view, the economic crisis is a manufactured one, but it doesn't matter much. Once a war or economic crisis has been created, the next steps flow logically from what has occurred. The opening is there for the taking.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">And she is surely playing her part. She is quoted as comparing the Euro-crisis to the ancients' Gordian Knot and the need for concerted action as Alexander's sword. "[It starts] with those at the centre [and then includes] the support of the international community probably channeled through the IMF."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">She is already focused on the channeling as well, explaining that both European and non-European countries will be asked for more money. "What is happening now is that conversations, contacts are taking place between the fund and its membership about the scale and the amount in which this could be brought to a conclusion," according to an IMF spokesperson.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">And so it builds. Suddenly the IMF, which the powers-that-be have already designated as a kind of world central bank, is in charge of collection efforts to save the EU. In fact, the EU doesn't need salvaging, nor does the euro. If both foundered and failed, the world would pause for a few moments and then go on.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Conclusion: But without a crisis there can be no further centralization. And without further centralization there can be no world government. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>

IMF Seeks Collective World Bailout

Now IMF Seeks Collective, World Bail-Out of Europe via The Daily Bell December, 2011 – by Staff Report IMFwants the world to save Europe .....

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