Kelly, I hope the gala is held in June, but I'd be happier if it was sooner, for obvious reasons. My heart goes out to all the military families in the nation right now.

Your comments about eating after 7 pm definitely hit home with me. My hubby is often not home until after that and so we eat late. I start getting hungry around 5 and end up having a snack to hold me until 7:30 or 8, when we eat dinner. As if that's not bad enough, I always get munchie in the late evening, so I want something while I read or watch a movie or do my last internet/e-mail check for the day. I don't know how I can curb those cravings except to eat dinner when I'm hungry and heat it up again for Russ when he comes home, then somehow change my nightly routine so that I don't have that habit pattern making me yearn for a hot chocolate or a cheese snack. You are on the button with diet sodas because I tend to drink one then to curb my desire for something worse.

You're a huge inspiration.... thank you!

Hi Mama,
It is hard to get on a schedule and not eating late at night. Everyone has different times they like to eat. I am very lucky that my dh is home on average 4:30 everyday and I usually have supper on the table 5-5:30. This works out great for everyone. The kids are fed and ready to go to their activities (dinner closer to 4:45-5:00 on those nights) and then we have a bigger block of time to spend together in the evenings without worrying about getting supper on the table.
My girls are in bed by 8:00 so having supper later is not an option when they still have to get a bath and do homework.

Of course during the summer months supper time changes a bit, but I still like to eat early.

You could do a few things to change your eating time.

Cook earlier, eat your supper when you are hungry and then re-heat for dh.

Eat a salad, or something lite about 5:00 when you are hungry, then eat pro/fat when hubby is home, stay away from the carbs that late, sets off a craving.

Or cook and eat when you are hungry, then re-heat when hubby is home and have a lite salad with him, so you can still enjoy a meal together even though you aren't eating a big meal.

Easiest way to keep me from snacking after supper.....I clean up the kitchen, run the disherwasher..which means..the kitchen is closed for the night! I don't want to have a dish sitting it the sink all night, so no more eating once the kitchen is closed.
If I could, I would have a huge door on the kitchen....and close it after dinner, no reason to go in there unless you are eating.