The Devil Is in the Diet Coke (queue dramatic DUN DUHN DUN)

I'm Catholic - oh simmer..cat's out of the bag. I try to be a good one but when most of your aunts and uncles were at one time (or are still currently) and nun or priest - it's hard to measure accurately. And as a footnote - not to flip too many readers out but the Church and disagree on a few things. (Bonus points -see if you can guess which parts.)

But I am a big fan of the Lent Challenge as my grandma calls it. It's like spring cleaning, only for the mouth in my case. Yesterday, was Ash Wednesday - marking both my forehead in designer ashes but also the first day of the Lenten season. As such, it's the day you start fasting (ok - I'm not that good) or giving up something for 40 days.

This year I'm breaking up with my love, my enabling caffeine quickie in the afternoon - Diet Coke. I know lover - it is you - and me - but mostly you. You are terrible for me. And if you know me personally, I have DC (diet coke) radar - I can sniff it out of line up.  The giving up part is not what I'm worried about, the challenge is NOT replacing it with an evil caffeine twin: like Diet Dr. Pepper as one friend suggested.

The goal here is to DRINK MORE WATER or as Susan Gibbs, my friend at the Archdiocese of DC, suggested...TEA. How FORTUITOUS: her neighbors own a specialty tea shop close to work in Bethesda called Zen Tara. (calling it divine intervention for the record) You didn't hear it from me...but if you drop Susan's name you may or may not get a little discount....Let the LENT CHALLENGE BEGIN. Just ignore that 24 pack in the fridge Jen... Diet coke is for sissies....(just keep saying it, and feel free to slap my hand if you see me slipping)