Lent is Almost Over

We're heading into Holy Week and boy am I glad! A friend challenged me to diet with her over Lent.  A challenge it has been!  I had told her that the only time I could diet would be over Lent because I'd be doing it for Jesus. Giving up sugar has been the hardest part. I love sugar.  The natural substitutes just don't do it for me.

I found a tolerable way to enjoy my morning coffee.  Sugar alcohols.  I purchased natural Birchwood Xylitol and by itself it is pleasant, but found it is better if I mix in just a bit of Malitol syrup.  I'm hoping to do this long term and keep the weight off. I'm still baking cookies and muffins for my kids and have to be satisfied with just smelling them.  That part, I know won't be something I can do forever!

Did you see the cool stationery link I posted earlier? I've also been working on my New Year's resolution to write more real letters (i.e handwritten,  snail mail letters!).  You already know that I make cards, so I do send quite a few cards to friends and family....but I had slacked on letter writing. It really has been a great New Year's resolution, getting back into letter writing.  Don't get me wrong, I still have a few friends with whom I only correspond via letter with, we just don't email each other.  I've just made an effort of doing it with more friends, more often.  You really should give it a try.  Everyone loves getting letters in the mail.  Especially on really cute stationery!

In case you are wondering, I've lost 20.5  pounds on this Lenten diet.  I'm pretty sure if I was Jesus, I would have turned the stones into bread and eaten them, or I would have one upped satan and said, "Hey! Bread? That's the best you can do?  Watch this...." Then turned them into the most wonderful, sugar laden, high calorie dessert!