Good Work in the Woods

Just because you're on Weight Watchers doesn't mean you can't bake cookies! According to my WW team leader, it is possible to bake up a batch of sinful goodies and not eat any, until you're all finished and allow yourself one cookie. She says this lets you keep the love and social tradition alive while letting go of the fattening side effect of eating too many cookies.

I told the girls they could eat all they wanted while we decorated them, but that afterwards the cookies were going bye-bye. It turned out lucky that I overcooked some of them because they were still fun to decorate but easy to toss in the trash.

Somehow baking means more than just eating. I know I can't have cookies sitting in the house all the time. But I was just as happy to bake them, eat one, and give away or throw out the rest. No leftovers allowed. We took a picture that will last forever without unhealthy side effects.
Here is my one allowed cookie, accounted for in my calorie count today. His little head said "Eat me up. No, don't finish me off." I treasured this one sweet thing today.
Then I felt worried the gingerbread boy might somehow make me fat anyhow. So we went for a little hike.
Amber hues soften the woods. All the colors are fading to winter.
Ellie is such a big girl now. She did the whole walk without complaining at all. We're wearing our bright orange jackets because November is deer hunting season. We live in prime deer country here.
The sun dropped behind the mountain and hurried us home.
Still some time to sew. I've pretty much perfected the coffee cozy now. Looks so easy but it has been a time-consuming item. The best road to progress is repetition. I made a whole bunch like a tray of cookies. Now they are next to perfect.
My signature collection continues. It really takes time to make something detailed. It's much more interesting to sew that a coffee cozy. But it takes more time than can probably be paid back in any way. I guess you have to do it for the artistic reward. It's sort like a little quilt, very individual. I can't wait to finish it into the clutch it will become. Still a ways to go before that step.