Nicole feels

Took the daughter to K0hl's tonight so she could use the gift card she got for Christmas. She is a chip off the old block - managed to get 2 pairs of jeans, 2 tees, a pair of yoga-style pants, and a hoodie for just over fifty bucks.

Makes a mom proud (sniff, sniff).

I must say that I did help a little (Hey! I found the hoodie!). But she is becoming quite the little bargain hunter.

I say "little" to describe an almost-14-year-old that is now only an inch and a half shorter than me. Yikes!

I tried on some jeans, but it seems that they aren't currently selling the brand I like in 100% cotton. I really don't like jeans with spandex in them. They stretch in places I don't want them to stretch right now. I need firming and lifting denim!

Yeah, yeah, I know, actually getting on the treadmill might help too, but in the meantime...

Baby got back and I don't need expand-o jeans to accentuate that fact.

Grrrr. Curse the genetics that only allow me to have a relatively tiny tushy if I look skeletal everywhere else.

Oh, and then there's the diet and exercise thing to get there again and maintain it.

Why must food taste so darn good?!

Lest you think I am a whiner, or that I have expanded my ministry a bit too much, I am actually still within my "target" weight range for age, height, neuroses, and all that mess. Most of my clothes - including my favorite-est jeans - still fit. But, I am on the upper echelon of that healthy range, which I am not too fond of. I know if I am not careful, things could get out of hand.

Must. Work. Out. Regularly.

And in the meantime, I want another pair of 100% cotton, make-my-hiney-look-smaller-than-it-is jeans to shimmy into.

That's not too much to ask, now is it?