I’m on day 23 without sugar.  Did you know that Dr Pepper has sugar in it?  So does bread.  What a crock. And apparently every other food item that I enjoy.  Did you know that you have to stir up natural peanut butter?  It’s discerning to say the least.  I miss Peter.  Peter Pan that is. He was so good to me at one time.

I totally ate red bell peppers last night.  I cut them up and tried to convince myself that they were strawberries.  Did I not mention that I’m off fruit right now too?  Oh yeah.  I’m just a joy to be around.  The peppers weren’t that bad.  I’m trying to expand my vegetable taste buds.  Yes, I still think green beans smell like feet and are disgusting, but edamame is making quite the run for greatest vegetable ever.

I digress.

So I ran by Target the other day to get a stash of sugar-free Jell-O for the office.  As I’m leaving the grocery store part of the establishment, I remembered that I needed toothpaste.  I decided to take a short cut through the pharmacy, turned left expecting to be on the deodorant aisle and found myself in the middle of rows and rows and rows of glorious Halloween candy.

And you know the good stuff was eye level.

I began to slowly creep down the heavenly path taking in deep breaths.  Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups in the shape of pumpkins.  My favorite.  Individually wrapped Milky Ways with official Halloween markings.  I love those.  Bags upon bags of Candy Corn.  A typical desk top staple of mine in October.  And then, there was the pièce de résistance:

Five fun Halloween shapes.  That rich, creamy orange middle.  A single tear slid down my face as I touched the bag and bid them adieu.

I fetched my stupid toothpaste and headed to the checkout, irritated that I was dumb enough to go carb-free during one of the most wonderful candy seasons of the year.  But then, as if a spotlight was beaming down from the good Lord above, I saw and end cap with this:

As a Buble fan, I knew this was coming out.  It’s been on my radar for a while.  As a strong believer that preparing for the Christmas season in OCTOBER is totally annoying, I fought the urge to purchase.  I told Michael I would see him soon.  But he kept looking at me.  With that come hither stare.

Juggling the Jell-O and toothpaste, I reluctantly picked up the CD to scrutinize the track list.  Did you know that if you purchase the actual CD from Target, you get three extra bonus tracks that are NOT available on iTunes?  And there are two songs where the Puppini Sisters are accompanying Michael?  I don’t know who they are but I dare you not to walk around your apartment or workplace announcing, “And now…THE PUPPINI SISTERS!”  Love.  That.

Alas, I put Michael and the Puppini’s back on the shelf.  I promised him that I would return later in November to purchase him.  I put my stupid toothpaste and stupid Jell-O on the conveyer belt and fought the temptation to turn around and take Michael home with me.

Cut to that night.  I’m over at my friend Keri’s house.  And guess what she presented me?

OH HAPPY DAY!  I vowed to not remove the cellophane until mid-November and thanked her for being such a good friend.  That’s when I noticed that the wrapper had already been removed.  She had already downloaded the entire album and Michael was tossing me a package (back cover) as if to say, “OPEN ME!”

So I did.  And I downloaded.  And I listened.  And I loved.  The Puppini Sisters were everything I thought they would be.  And more.

This is Lincee…still carb free…giving Buble’s new Christmas album two enthusiastic toe thumbs up. I implore you to purchase and enjoy!

And don’t forget to click HERE for the Noonday Collection giveaway!  The winner will be announced Sunday.  Good luck!