No Thanks to Cake: Christmas Eve Eve

After escaping the cold of Colorado, I was PLEASANTLY surprised to find that Virginia's weather was mild and WARM. It's been in the 60s for the past two days! Amazing!

We've been visiting and doing last minute holiday prep - - wrapping, cooking, decorating, and enjoying the kiddos. I've also been out SHOPPING TWICE. I've been to the mall, to Sam's, and (seriously) to Wal-Mart. I've also been here...

My brother's FANCY gym

We did a pretty heavy workout yesterday. We did a full hour at the gym (which I don't usually do) and I tried out all the cool new cardio machines this place had. They had a few that I'd never used before, like one that looked like a recumbent bike but had pedals like an elliptical and handles for arm workouts, too.

When I got back to the house, I joined my niece and nephew on the trampoline for some bouncing good fun. Honestly, it was so much fun! I can't wait to get back out there with them!

After all this working out and bouncing around, I was DEFINITELY ready for some holiday cheer! Last year, I didn't drink hardly at all. I had maybe 2 glasses of wine because I was so early on in my journey. A year later, I've decided it would be ok to indulge a little. Especially after such a great workout.

With this line-up of wines, how could I really resist?

Dinner was uh-mazing: Beth's famous braciole (steak stuffed with garlic, cheese, and breadcrumbs.) Click here for this decadent recipe. WAY off plan, but nice to actually eat it this year. We make this every year, and last year I ate JC Spaghetti and Meatballs while everyone else ate this...