Boo

Right on. I made a decision to stop drinking. It was a personal choice and has no bearing on anyone else pertaining to the decisions they make. A simple "no" should suffice. If they push the issue further, a simple "go get f**ked" should suffice. My diplomacy only goes so far.

Welcome back Kenzie. A successful quit is all about commitment. Keep your determination strong and continue moving forward.

Once we allow ourselves to get hooked on nicotine, we have two choices. Choice A: Confront the addiction head on by quitting and deal with temporary cravings for a little while. Choice B: Continue smoking and living in a constant state of fluctuating withdrawal and resign ourselves to a lifetime of addiction. Choice A is an exercise in delayed gratification that will reward you for the rest of your life. Choice B is a life sentence that will take everything and offers nothing in return. The choice is obvious.

I've watched every episode of The Andy Griffith Show...multiple times. I've lost count of how many times I've seen that episode with Jimmy the dynamite eating goat. That being said, I feel like I need to go back and re-watch those shows. I have a son on the way and watching Andy raise Opie is like a masterclass in father-son relations. Said in my best Andy Griffith voice: that was a fine show, a fiiine show.

Find your "why" and the "how" will work itself out.

With all due respect to Alvin and the Chipmunks, I think Norah did it much better.

Maddie is officially in her new bedroom tonight. We put the finishing touches together this afternoon and Miss Maddie is sleeping in her toddler bed tonight. She is pretty good about sleeping through the night, but we have no idea if the move from crib to bed is going to entice her to get up and explore in the middle of the night. I put a sensor on her door that we can turn on at night just in case. I'm going to pat myself on the back a little here. Sugar Britches had the idea of framing up the toddler bed with a roof so that it looks like a little house. I built it and and ran a string of mini LED lights around the fascia and ridge...just to jazz it up a bit. Gotta say, I'm right proud of my own handiwork. As I'm writing this, Maddie has been in her new bed for over an hour and she hasn't set out on any great adventures. So, we're off to a good start.

And so long as I'm giving practical gifts...I'm a simple man with simple needs, I appreciate a good pair of wool socks in the Winter months. To: All Quit Train Members From: Boo

In doing the decorating of the house for Christmas, I have found that you always need one more extension cord. To: All Quit Train Members From: Boo

Sugar Britches has accepted the fact that she married a man who geeks out at Christmastime. Maddie loves the new penguin. Her eyes lit up when she saw our new addition right there alongside Santa Claus and Rudolph. Or as she calls them: Gwen, Ho-Ho, and Deke.

Congratulations Katgirl.

Congratulations DD. Your hard work is paying off.

The two incontrovertible rules of quitting have never changed. RULE #1: DON'T SMOKE! RULE #2: If you have any further questions refer back to RULE #1. It's a simple process yet it works 100% of the time.

A double-shot of Gene Autry.

It's easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission. So me and Sugar Britches had reached an agreement, no more Christmas decorations...particularly nothing large that goes out in the yard. Admittedly, we do have more than enough. However, one of the guys at work knows about my daughter's affinity for penguins and told me about something he saw for sale at Home Depot. Long story short, we are now the proud owners of a ten-foot tall inflatable penguin that lights up. I'll just have to explain to the better-half how it would have been a shame to not get this penguin for our little princess. I know we don't need it, but we had to have it.

There's no getting around it, but you will get through it. Cravings are temporary and diminish with time. Yep.

Redneck families put the "fun" in dysfunctional.

Nice work Steven. Congratulations.

Good job Linda.

That's how the process starts. You plod for a while. Eventually you become a bit more sure-footed. Then you pick up the pace...and so forth. In the early days of a quit, you have to watch every step. As you progress, quitting becomes a walk in the park. Keep walking, you're going in the right direction.

Way to be Ace.