2020 has not been great. It’s been hard. It’s been devastating for some. Many of you have suffered loss. Loss of a loved one, loss of a job, loss of education, loss of time with family and friends. In a nutshell, 2020 has been a dumpster fire. There are even ornaments to commemorate it as such. But now that we are closing in on the end of the year, I can reflect on what was good about 2020. I know for some of you, there may not have been any bright moments and I know that we have been very fortunate. I know some of the things that I’m going to reflect on and be grateful for will have you thinking I’m crazy. Some families thrive on busy schedules and multiple activities at once and 2020 has put a halt on that.

2020 has given our family the gift of time. Or I should say it has given me the gift of time because I’m pretty sure my teenage children are not loving all the togetherness as much as I am. 2020 has made us slow down. It’s made us stop and enjoy what we have and who we are stuck/quarantined with. It made us get creative and find joy in simple things like puzzles and drive by birthday parades. 2020 gave us family dinners around the table, evenings sitting in the driveway together and car rides just to get out of the house.

2020 has taught me to be quiet and still and just soak up what I do have. At the same time all the quiet and stillness can often send my mind racing and my anxiety sky-rocketing. In those moments, I’ve realized it’s okay to be worried and scared and not know what the future holds for any of us. I’m leaning into prayer and putting my faith in God and the plan he has for me. So many of us are struggling through this and we need hope for a brighter future.

2020 has taught us that this time we have is fleeting, it goes by in a blink of an eye. Did it take a pandemic to teach us that? Probably not. But it took a pandemic to force us to slow down and realize that it can all be gone in that same blink of an eye. And while we’ve lost so much in 2020, I’m going to spend the rest of the year focusing on what we’ve gained.

In the days to come, know you are all in my prayers. I hope 2020 ends on a positive note for all of you. Tonight I plan to go out and see the Christmas Star and know that there is hope for our future. I pray that we are all blessed with the gift of more time.

Merry Christmas,

Dana

Christmas 101. Kinda like Chemistry 101. 101 in college numbering system usually means it’s an introductory class. It’s a class at a beginner’s level. You would think that after experiencing Christmas for 43 year, I wouldn’t be a beginner. Yet, here we are in 2020 doing things we’ve never done before. I read the phrase “it’s like flying a plane as you build it” and I think that’s pretty true. I mean, how many of you have lived through a pandemic before? It’s a “once in a lifetime” experience meaning I never want to experience it again. My husband and I have talked about how truly fortunate and blessed we’ve been through all of this.

But now Christmas season is upon us. This year Christmas, like everything else, looks different. I’m not quite sure yet what that will mean for us. I’d love to say that we will be spending it with our families and traveling but I’ve found that 2020 likes to throw in plot twists so at this point I’m just taking it one day at a time.

Now that my kids are 15 and 19, I’d be lying if I said I know what I’m doing when it comes to kids and Christmas. Every age has offered a challenge whether it be finding the perfect gift, searching for the most sparkly Christmas dress during a princess phase or setting reminders to move the Elf. My kids are older and the holiday magic is gone. I miss it. I miss the excitement on their faces and the magic in their eyes. Since 2020 has been such a train wreck, I’m trying to end the year on a positive note and bring back some of the magic. This year I decided to make giant Advent calendars. After many phone convos with my friend, I stole her amazing idea and started shopping. She also has teens so she knows how it is. A $4 shoe organizer turned Advent calendar was filled, hung and is now being enjoyed every morning. The pockets are filled with favorite drinks, snacks, candy, trinkets, etc. I can’t reveal them all just yet incase the kids read this. So far it’s just given them a little something to look forward to every morning.

I feel like in this “Christmas 101” season we need to act like beginners again. We need to focus on the little things that bring us joy. Think back to the first Christmas you had with your new spouse, your first Christmas in a new home, your children’s first Christmas, the Christmas you had your first real tree, the list goes on. I’m sure some of those years held stressful moments but you don’t remember that. You remember the love you felt, the joy you saw and the memories you created.

When I think back to my childhood Christmases, I remember my mom baking for weeks leading up to the big day. I remember going with my dad to pick out a real tree and then covering it completely in tinsel. I remember going to my grandparents house and playing a dice game with my cousins and getting tons of gag gifts because no one had the money for traditional gifts. I remember my Grandma coming home for the holidays from Florida and celebrating with my other cousins and picking the envelope with my name on it off the tree. Now that I’m an adult, I know there was planning and financial stress and traveling in bad weather and all the other chaos that comes with the holidays but that’s not what I remember. Both of my parents have six siblings so I have around 40 first cousins. When I think of the holidays, I think of all the fun I had with them.

When the kids were younger, we would take them on rides in their pajamas to see the Christmas lights. We’d spend days baking cookies and holiday treats. We’d cuddle up and watch Elf and Clark Griswold deck the halls. It’s all stuff we did as kids and I hope my kids do with their own children. It’s the simple things you’d learn in an introductory class. I think sometimes those beginner lessons are the best. While I love finding someone the perfect gift and enjoy seeing everyone opening presents on Christmas, the memories we make are in the moments not the things. **Except maybe back in 1984 when I received the most epic Cabbage Patch Doll with the name Dana Starr*

So while this year may look different, I hope when we look back we don’t remember only the differences. I hope we remember the things that looked exactly the same because isn’t that what tradition is? I hope this holiday season, we all act like beginners again. More advanced classes can come later or maybe not at all. You decide.

Everyone shows love in different ways. I’m sure you’ve heard of the Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman. There are quizzes you can take to find your love language. It’s recommended that you know your partners language to improve your relationship. There are even books out to teach you about your child’s love language.

I never really thought about this until a few years back when I went to a Hearts at Home Christian Women’s Conference. I immediately bought the book and my husband and I sat down and took the quiz. I pretty much knew where we fell so I wasn’t surprised by our results. We are on opposite ends of the love language spectrum. I think it’s important to know this information and keep it in mind but I think we all show loves in many different ways on a daily basis.

Enter the potato. This is what got me thinking about this post. My kids love baked potatoes. We rarely have them anymore because carbs. But I do make them for the kids on occasion. Typically it’s a quick side that I throw in the microwave. I also do meal prep for people and a few week’s ago the menu included a stuffed baked potato. For those I rubbed them all in olive oil, salt, seasonings, etc. and roasted them in the oven. The lone potato pictured above was a leftover my son ate. Two bites in he said he could really taste the love that I put into it compared to the ones I just throw in the microwave. Since then, anytime he wants a baked potato, I make it with love….aka in the oven!

Next is another example of love. It may look like a pile of mess to you guys but it was my way of showing love. I smoked some pork and my husband loves the really dark/burnt ends so when I shredded it, I set those pieces aside for him. Apparently I show love through food but I don’t think anyone is surprised about that!

So how are you showing love lately? Telling someone you love them is wonderful but we show our love in so many ways. My mom telling me to watch out for deer as we drive home, me telling my kids to be careful when they leave the house, sending someone a funny meme that you know will make them smile, we all spread love in different ways. I know we don’t always think about these things the same as someone saying the words “I love you” but aren’t they just as meaningful? You can tell someone you love them but showing them can have a bigger impact.

In today’s crazy world, we all need to be showing more love. Tell your friends and family that you love them but then go one step farther and do something to prove it. It could be as simple as a hug, a household chore or a few pieces of burnt meat. You decide.

**PS – show me some love by sharing and following my blog! 😉

Last night our school sent the email that we would be going to all remote learning after Thanksgiving until (at least) January 5th. I knew it was coming. I’m okay with it. My son is in high school and okay with it. My daughter is in college and already doing everything remote. At this point, I don’t think it’s going to affect our lives that much. I know I’m lucky to be able to say that.

I know that statement can’t be said by very many. I’m fortunate that I stay at home, my “jobs” aren’t income that we have to rely on. My heart goes out to everyone dealing with this in so many different ways. There are parents that are struggling to find childcare, teachers having to teach their students and also their own children, kids that really need to be in a school setting not only to learn but for their safety and wellbeing. My heart hurts for all of them and especially for the administrators that have to make these tough decisions. Small business owners that have put their heart, soul and their savings into their dreams are now facing horrible times.

I feel like we are in a time where everyone is playing by different rules and there are no winners. That’s right, no winners. Some people are wearing masks and following the health department rules. Some are following the rules some of the time. Others don’t believe in masks or rules and are just living their best life. I’m a rule follower. I wear my mask, I limit the places we are going, I’ve gotten pretty strict on what my children are allowed to do. I don’t know if I’m right or wrong. However, these rules were made by people that know way more than me so I’m trying to trust the process.

When the note came home about remote learning, I had very mixed emotions. See, I’m a big time worrier and I feel like since Covid, my anxiety has been much higher. While I was sad that we were going remote, I was also relieved that I could keep our bubble smaller. Having all my chicks stuck in the nest makes me feel calmer. I know there’s a chance I could go get groceries with my mask on and still be infected. But if we are all home most of the time, I feel like our chances of staying healthy are better. In my brain, I know this and it makes me a little calmer. In my heart, it also makes me sad that our holidays may not be the same. As a middle aged adult, I’m struggling with this. How in the world are we thinking that it won’t affect our kids?

We are almost through 2020 and for the rest of the year I’m going to focus on all the good. All the joy, all the love, all the goodness we have in our lives. Our kids are resilient and while these times aren’t ideal, they will be okay. They are part of history, the great pandemic of 2020. They will remember the months we were stuck at home but also the new found hobby of puzzles. They will remember suffering through online school but also all the family dinners around the table that we now had time to enjoy. They won’t be part of big parties but will find deeper connections with their close friends through endless hours of snapchat and texting. We may not be able to go on trips but we are learning all kinds of new tricks and tips on TikTok. While the beach would be awesome now, family movies under blankets will have to do. Plus our dog is living her best life ever with all of us at home all the time.

2020 is going to come to an end but it won’t end us. We will come out stronger. Back when we thought “if we can just make it through 2 weeks, we will be okay”. Two weeks have turned into several months but we will still be okay. It sucks. My heart breaks for so many for so many reasons but we will be okay! Say it with me, we will be okay! We are going to look back and this will just be a blip in time. Continue to find the good, say your prayers, reach out and check on your loved ones. While a huge hug would be great, phone calls and FaceTime will get us through. A quick text or funny snapchat can make a big difference.

Now to end on a light note…y’all…2020 is so crazy I bought bras at Aldi last week. I mean, can it get any weirder?

Love, prayers for good health and air hugs to you all! We will be okay.

What’s for dinner? I hate this question because a lot of nights I just don’t know. On most average days I’m asked this question at least 3 times. My daughter usually asks to see if she even wants to eat it, she’s 19 and rarely home at meal time. My son asks as soon as he walks in the door from school. My husband asks as soon as he walks in the door from work. If I’m super organized, I’d write the week’s meals on the calendar so they can just look but let’s be honest, no one looked, they all just kept asking me.

I don’t know why we struggle with dinner because I literally do meal prep and freezer meals for other people. I should have a plethora of ideas and options at the tip of my fingers. Honestly, by time I’ve made those things though, I really don’t want to eat them myself. So I thought I’d share some tips with you on how I meal plan and get dinner on the table most night. Below I’ll explain some of my process and then show you how you can use those items in a menu.

Cook once, eat twice….and I don’t mean leftovers. At least once a week I make a protein that we can eat at least twice. For instance, on Monday, I will cook an entire InstaPot or crockpot full of frozen chicken breast. I usually pack the InstaPot full, add a cup of water, lots of salt, pepper and garlic powder. Cook. Once done, I drain the liquid off and then shred the entire pot with the hand mixer. Literally the entire process is only about 10 minutes of my time and I’m left with lots of shredded chicken. I also do this in a skillet with lean ground beef sometimes.

Leftovers – we usually have one night towards the end of the week that everyone eats something different to clean out the fridge. This is usually done on a night that we are busier or going to be going in different directions. It could be leftover meat, soup, a bowl of cereal, whatever random thing you can find but on that night, we use up what needs to be eaten. I like to try and make leftovers into something better and my husband always checks to see what I’m gonna eat first incase if it’s better than his random pick. 🙂 He’s not a huge fan of leftovers so I try to change them into something else if possible. Usually whatever leftovers aren’t eaten on this night will sometimes be eaten for a weekend lunch or tossed.

Freezer meals – you should always have at least 2-3 frozen options ready to go in the freezer. These need to be items you can either pull out to thaw in the morning or throw in the crockpot before you leave the house. While this could be a shameless plug for my freezer meal biz, it doesn’t even have to be one of those! It can be anything from a frozen store bought lasagna to a leftover frozen meal you made (see next item). When you use this item, write it down on your grocery list so you know to restock it in the freezer.

Frozen meals – these are a must! You should be treating your freezer like your pantry. Believe it or not, it’s not just for ice cream and frozen fries. You should have ready made items in there too. The simplest way to do this is back up at item one. Cook once – eat twice. I grew up this way, thanks mom! She always did this and I learned from the best. If your family has any favorite things that are always on the meal rotations, make double. Making taco meat? Make double and freeze half. Making a lasagna? Make two and freeze one. Making pancakes? Make extra and freeze them. I am the freezer queen and even do this with baked goods! I feel like Martha Stewart when I can just go to my freezer and grab a family favorite that’s ready to go at dinner time. I can have a completely crappy, hectic day and still have a homemade meal with no fuss! It’s also great for unexpected guests or dropping off a meal to a loved one. Most items can be frozen for up to 6 months. Be sure to eat what’s in the freezer too. Nothing’s worse than finding that amazing meal pushed to the back with freezer burn!

Plan around what you already have on hand. I typically get groceries once a week. I like to kinda have an idea of what we are going to eat most nights based on our schedules. I will sometimes have to run to the store mid-week but 90% of the time that’s because I forgot something on my list. I always look at what’s in the freezer and the pantry first. Just pick two things: a protein and a side. It’s that easy. So I will pick a protein from our meat stash in the freezer and then a veggie. Done! We will sometimes add another side like salad, a potato, cottage cheese, etc. But for the most part, just pick two items and go from there! Back when we were eating more carbs, we’d always have pasta one night. So all I had to do was pick a pasta: spaghetti, ravs, lasagna, etc. Just keep it simple.

So here’s a sample of a week of cooking/dinners at our house:

Monday: Get groceries. When I come home, I try and prep/clean any fruits and veggies so they actually get eaten. Cook a 5 lb. bag of frozen chicken breast in the InstaPot. After chicken is shredded, remove half and store in the fridge. With the other half still in the InstaPot, add 1 c. salsa and 1/2 block of cream cheese. It should still be really hot so just put the lid on for a few minutes and stir to combine.

Tuesday: Tacos! When you brown the ground beef, make triple. Use 1/3 for tacos, put the other 2/3 in the fridge.

Wednesday: Use leftover chicken for something! We will either toss it in buffalo sauce, bbq sauce, etc. Throw it in a wrap or on a salad. You can also use the chicken plain for soups or sandwiches.

Thursday: Pasta! Use a jar of premade sauce and a bag of frozen ravs. 15 minutes and dinner is ready. If you are feeling fancy, you can use a little leftover beef in your sauce.

Friday: Leftover, frozen pizza, throw something like chicken strips in the air fryer. It’s the end of the week so use up whatever you have.

Saturday: sometimes this day is used for eating out or just something easy because usually we all aren’t home for dinner. If we are at Sam’s, I sometimes pick up a rotisserie chicken.

Sunday: Use leftover ground beef to make 2 lasagnas. You don’t even have to boil the noodles, just make sure you start with a layer of sauce. Since the meat is already cooked, you can have 2 assembled in under 20 minutes. Put one in the freezer and enjoy one for dinner. Usually on Sundays, we eat an early dinner. You can also use the beef for soups, sloppy Joes, chili, etc.

*Be sure that if you don’t use up your cooked proteins, you freeze them for later use.*

Does this help at all? Having a plan is key! There are many, many days we don’t have a plan so doing some of the things mentioned above helps with the dreaded dinner decision. Good luck!

Imagine what you can do in one year? Honestly, a year is going to pass either way so why not use the time to work on yourself? Now that my kids are older, I’ve found that a year passes in the blink of an eye! That’s what I kept telling myself one year ago after leaving a doctor’s appointment. I wasn’t happy with my life, how I looked and especially how I felt. I was pretty miserable and knew changes had to happen. I decided right then that I was ready. The next day I talked to a dietician and started making changes. I have tried EVERY diet out there and they all work until they don’t. This time it needed to be different. I know whenever someone posts any kind of weight loss information, I always wanna know all the secrets, tips, tricks, ideas they used to get to that point. Really there aren’t any secrets but I will share what worked for me. I’m a “sharer”, an open book. I will say that doing an elimination diet to start was super hard but super helpful. I eliminated gluten, dairy, sugar, most processed foods, caffeine…I basically ate very clean, protein and veggies. I’m not gonna lie, it sucked really bad the first two week. Then I noticed my rosacea and eczema were gone. What?? Then I realized that getting out of the bed didn’t hurt anymore. Yes, I had so much inflammation that I was googling every chronic health problem out there. Seeing those changes helped spur me on. I have now added back dairy in limited amounts. When I have too much, I start to hurt. Who knew dairy caused inflammation? Not me!! Gluten is a big no-no for both my skin and my stomach. Sugar is just plain bad and it’s in everything! The only thing I eat that is white is cauliflower rice…no bread, sugar, pasta, rice. I will also add that I have PCOS and was insulin resistant so a low carb diet is ideal for me. I don’t think you should ever completely eliminate a food group but I have to learn to eat it in a way my body can process it.

I really didn’t want to post this quite yet because I haven’t reached my goal weight. I still have a little ways to go and am trying not to obsess over a number. But I’ve reached several other goals and I feel like you should celebrate wherever you are along your journey. You should love yourself at every phase, I just didn’t really like myself where I was a year ago. Even though I’m not at my “scale” goal, I’m so much healthier and happier. Recent bloodwork showed excellent numbers across the board! I’ve also made “Yet” my word of the year for 2020 so I just add it to a sentence when needed. I haven’t reached my goal yet, those jeans don’t fit yet, I can’t splurge and eat that ice cream yet. It changes your mindset and makes it seem doable.

So here’s a few things that have worked for me…

1. Set lots of small goals along the way and base them on events. 25 lbs by Christmas, 50 lbs by my birthday, size large by a wedding in July, etc.
2. Reward yourself! It’s really hard not to reward myself with food so I did things like pedicures, a new smaller shirt.
3. Get a partner! My husband gave me a head start so I wouldn’t get discouraged when he lost faster than me at first. He joined me on Jan 1 and it has made things SO much easier to be on the same page and not have to scowl at him when he’s eating Oreos. Also, we weigh once a week and report to each other. It only took 22 years of marriage for him to know how much I weigh. 🙂
4. Find something you can do for the rest of your life! I started out pretty strict/clean Keto and had a lot of success but knew I couldn’t do it for ever so we are more low carb/clean eating now.
5. Exercise – this is a struggle for me so right now I am just walking, trying to get my 10k steps a day. I have tried a few times to incorporate it and know I need to, especially toning, but nutrition plays a HUGE role and I’m still focusing mainly on that right now. I have worked with two great trainers at the gym and am part of an online fitness group. I know I will be adding more in soon.
6. Eat something green every day. I started with a salad a day but that got old so now I just do something green every day. Sometimes it’s spinach in my smoothie, sometimes it’s a salad at lunch, green veggies at dinner…
7. It’s okay to be bored, not everything has to be a party in your mouth. I’ve tried to focus on food as nourishment instead of enjoyment. 90% of the time I still love what I’m eating but sometimes you just gotta eat the stupid celery so you can have the good stuff later.
8. Make more good choices than bad and they will add up. We have had cheat meals. We plan them, look forward to them and enjoy them. Then we get right back on track. That’s the trick…get right back on. Honestly, the food hangover isn’t always worth it. And it’s so easy to let a cheat meal turn in to a cheat day into a cheat weekend…..
9. Love yourself more than you love the food. That’s a deep one. Read it again. I will always love food like a crack addict loves drugs. Yes, that’s dramatic but it’s the truth. I just have to love myself and care enough about my health more than the next “bad” food choice. Since I’ve always had a weight problem, I am just a few bad choices away from gaining it all back and that’s something I’m now aware of now. Weight loss is a huge mental game. I have to “talk myself down” from bad choices all the time.
10. TAKE PICTURES!!! When I look in the mirror, I really don’t see a difference. When I look at comparison pictures, I’m like wow, what a difference! Take the pictures! Make sure you get them from different angles and look back to see how far you’ve come.
11. Take measurements. The scale is a dirty bitch and is just one way to measure your success. Try not to get too wrapped up in the numbers.
12. Have smaller/goal clothes. I had a few things that I would try on occasionally to see if I was getting any closer to wearing them.
13. Find substitutes for your favorite foods. Some things I’m just not willing to give up and with Pinterest and google, we really haven’t had to. We now make healthier versions of our favorites like sausage crust pizza and lasagna with egg-thins. And don’t even get me started on all the things we do with cauliflower rice! There are so many good things on the market now it makes it so much easier but we keep it pretty simple.
14. Have a menu/meal plan. This is tough but I love to cook. It’s so easy to throw a frozen pizza in the oven but it’s not a great option so I try to plan ahead. We always make sure we have options in the house or leftovers for busy nights. I try to always have boiled eggs and chicken ready to go.
15. If you can’t eat it, get it out of the house. Seriously, if it’s in my home, I will eat it. I have very little self control. If I can’t eat it, I don’t buy it because most likely my kids don’t need it either. Stop making excuses that “it’s for the kids”. If I do buy them something, I make sure it’s junk that I don’t like or am not tempted by.
16. Be determined. “Someone who loses weight fast is motivated, someone who loses weight slowly and sticks with it is determined.” I read that somewhere and it stuck with me. When I stall, I think of that.
17. Take the compliment! I’ve had a lot of people tell me that they could see a change or compliment my appearance. Before I would say “oh I still have a ways to go” now I’m trying to just say thank you. I don’t mean to sound vain but words of praise are my love language so those compliments have gotten me through some hard days. Knowing that someone else could see my hard work was very motivating to me.
18. Hang out with people that are going to support you. I am so fortunate to have a group of amazing ladies that go out of their way to support me. From having low carb options when we hang out to just encouraging me along the way, it’s made a huge difference.
19. Water. This is a no brainer. Drink your water. Half your weight in ounces. Just do it. I feel like it’s such an accomplishment when my urine is clear. 😉
20. You can do it. Yes, you can. Even if you are starting over, now you are starting from experience. It’s hard. Being overweight is hard. Do it for your family so you can be around for them but most importantly, do it for you. You deserve to feel your very best. If I can do it, so can you.

As of today, I’ve lost 70 lbs and 45 inches. I still have a way to go but you know what, I’m pretty darn proud of what I’ve done this past year. I mean, come on, we are in the middle of a freaking pandemic! I didn’t write this for a pat on the back or a compliment, I just want to give someone else hope.

If I decided, so can you.

So I decided to start a new blog. 2020 has been a crazy year so far. As you know, it hasn’t been crazy fun or even crazy busy for that matter. Just crazy. Covid, quarantine, cancellations, sickness, politics, it’s all just crazy. I actually started this blog back in January, you can read that post further down. It kinda sums up what this is all about.

January seems like just yesterday. I wanted a new blog and couldn’t decide on a name. I was texting my bestie and describing what my thoughts were for the blog and she came up with the name. And I “decided” it was perfect. Of course at the time, I thought I would be blogging much more often but I’ve been in my head for a while now about what I wanted this space to be. The more I thought about it, I decided instead of just sharing some things or having it be about one thing, it could be about All. The. Things.

So that’s where I’m at. It’s now August. School is about to start. I’m rolling around a few ideas of projects I may tackle. I’m bored. It’s going to get more boring around here soon. Even the dog wants me to find something to do. We are still living the low carb/keto life. I’ll share more on that too. But boredom makes me want to snack so….I need to be busy!

I’m just a middle aged wife and mom making all the decisions for my family. What’s for dinner, what bill is due, who needs to be where, what do we need from the store, what was the last time the dog was bathed, what’s that smell? Don’t get me wrong, I have a great husband that helps along the way. And two teens that grunt and nod approval (or disapproval) as needed.

In 2020, I decided to make some changes. I’m at a point in my life that lots of things seem to be changing…except for me. My kids are older and don’t need me as much as they once did. My daughter is now in college with one foot out the door to being on her own. My son is in high school and when he is home, he’s in his room. My husband has a career that he loves and is thriving in. But where does that leave this stay at home mom that doesn’t have much to stay at home for anymore? While I don’t necessarily want to go back to the work force full time, my side hustle that I do a few days a month isn’t quite filling my cup.

This is also the year that I’ve decided to get healthier and I’m taking my family along with me. I’m a few months in to a low carb lifestyle and am liking the results. Hopefully this is another space for accountability.

So follow along as I make decisions. I’ll be deciding everything from what’s for dinner to what am I going to do with the rest of my life. Your guess is as good as mine!