10 pounds and BALLS!

Still managing to eat right. Still cooking or preparing nearly every meal. My trip to Texas this past week was a combo of my normal plan and improvisation, and included having my grandparents' menudo (the BEST bowl of menudo in the world), along with my grandma's tortillas, thankyouverymuch. I managed to have only one tortilla with my bowl and didn't feel deprived at all. (Usually, I'd have at least three to a bowl.)

On Saturday, my aunt and uncle went all-out, renting a big ol' smoker to smoke two briskets, three slabs of ribs, several chickens and maybe even sausage, I can't remember now. My aunt made these amazing beans, potato salad, cole slaw, deviled eggs; Mom made a tres leches cake; my aunt and I made pumpkin fudge, a pineapple upside down cake; and guests brought other sundry items, including pumpkin cobbler (!). I had little bites of anything I wanted. I also made sure to eat some lower-glycemic things throughout the day so I didn't attack any food out of angry hunger. After all was said and done for the weekend, I'm now a pound down from this time last week.

I can friggin' do this. It's ten pounds altogether now.

Speaking of being home, that was really nice. My cousin won't be able to make it down from NYC for either of the holidays, so we seized an earlier opportunity to have all the family together and soak up some time with Grandpa. The only person missing was Lee, who had just traveled so he couldn't take more time right away. I also managed to catch up with my bestie Angela. We were inseparable in college and, since moving here eleven and-a-half years ago, it's gotten harder and harder to keep up. But we talked until 3am Friday night. She's in the midst of some pretty intense changes and I think I'm happier for her now than I've ever been.

As always, any visit is divided (not always equally) between my Lopez half and my Hinshaw half, so despite this trip being pretty focused on the Lopezes, I got some time in with the Hinshaws, too, including a lovely lunch with my Aunt Dixie and brunch with my Dad and siblings.

My sister Asia (read her blog here) has this wonderful guy in her life who is constantly befuddled by our lack of planning.

Him: Isn't your sister here?
Asia: Yeah, I think she got in yesterday.
Him: Well, are we doing something with her?
Asia: I don't know, I'm sure we will.

Thing is, we've grown accustomed to waiting until I'm actually in town before planning anything. Because, for Asia and me, quality time can come at any time of day or night, doing just about anything. (Except napping. She hates when I want to take a nap.) So, we usually let my schedule fill with the less-flexible events and my work schedule (Go, telecommuting!), then fill in our time around that. This isn't very easy on our significant others, though, who may find themselves kicking off their shoes to lay down on the couch just as one of us gets off the phone with the other and annoucnes, "We're going to a movie!" I love my sister. I love that we have a way we do things, a style that is common to us and uncommon to everyone else. But, point taken: We need to plan a little more or we're gonna drive our boys crazy.

And then there's BALLS!, a show I guest-starred in last year, but have now joined for the whole crazy ride. We've been working on refreshing some of last year's bits and will soon work on totally new material. One of the things I'm most excited about is that this year, each of the six nights will benefit a different local non-profit. Read all about it and then make your reservation! It's gonna be a blast!