Self Preservation.

For the sake of Self-Preservation, I've decided to skip my morning run. Nothing personal; just the thin layer of snow that fell over night will - to my demise - hide every patch of ice from here to the Fox River. Through some Festivus Miracle, I've been thus far able to remain upright while running, but I'm also a realist. I know the likelihood of slipping on ice increases with each run where that doesn't happen.

I'm not one to test fate, really.

So instead, Nathaniel and I made coffee and well...here I am. Sitting at the breakfast table, watching him eat his Raisin Bran while snow lightly falls outside the kitchen window. It's quite pretty, actually (the snow, not him).

Later this morning the two of us are headed to Madison, the home to our Alma matter. Go Badgers! I guess the irony was lost on my subconscious as last night I dreamed that of the six Wisco classes I was taking, I was barely squeaking by with "D"s in three of them. Not exactly how I wanted my college career to go down, but hey - it didn't bother me too much in my dream, so why worry?

But still, I awoke slightly unsettled, as though I had done something really bad.

Perhaps it was my subconscious in relation to the two Christmas Wreaths that I ate last night. Throw in a pumpkin bar (and if you know me, I hate pumpkin), and you've got the general idea. I'm sort of doing my best to stay away from the vast array of Christmas Cookies and Treats; but let's not kid ourselves.

At this point, I'm running and working out more to keep the holiday weight off than anything else. I might as well be honest, but I can happily report that my jeans still fit. Sort of.

You never know, I could decided to go all tofu and stir fry on everyone and insist on eating healthy for the rest of my tenure up north.

What was that?

Did you hear the laughter??

No, actually that was the sound of a Snowball's chance in hell. There is none.

And finally, the Lauterbach Household is about to bust itself at the seams; today Bethany, Adelyn, and Any arrive from Hawaii and Nathaniel and I are picking Taylor up after her last final at UW-Madison. It seems very strange that a family would choose the Great Blustery North over Hawaii during Christmas.

Then again, Nathaniel and I left Southern California, so who knows.

In the meantime, I'll stare out the window and think up ways to stay upright during my run later today. Hopefully people will have shoveled or at least thrown salt down on the sidewalk; I've learned that giving those few houses that neglect to shovel their walks the finger does nothing for my balance. But it makes me feel slightly better to flip 'em the bird while I gingerly step over the frozen mass of snow and ice.

Here's hoping that wherever you are, you're happy, warm, safe, and enjoying your own Christmas Wreaths.