My Favorite Holiday

I was just thinking about Thanksgiving and how much I love this holiday. For me it's about being around people I care about, sharing a (usually) delicious meal and everyone's company . I love that it's not filled with the card-writing, gift-giving pressure of Christmas and having to fake loving the gift that someone has given me. I love that there's less build up to this holiday and I love that I don't have to work the day after.

So, maybe during this holiday when we get together with all of our (crazy and weird) relatives and friends, stuff our faces and become full-bellied with satisfaction, we can complain less and take some time to remember how lucky all of us truly are. In the grand scheme of things, even the most disgruntled among us is living better than 99% of our fellow inhabitants on the planet. For better or worse, may we give thanks to all that we do have in our lives. May we remember to help those around us in need. And may we remember that health, love and friendship should never be taken for granted.

Wishing you peace and love on Thanksgiving.

Hola

I feel like I'm living in two worlds right now. I'm in Mexico enjoying fresh caught lobster, the pool that goes up to the living room, warm weather, hours and hours to enjoy relaxing and reading more books than I have in the past few months. At home we snuck out in the dark of the morning to leave friends misplaced, worrying about their home. It's strange to be caught in the middle.

Mexico

I'm packing my sunscreen, a couple of books and my passport. I'm off for another little vacation, OK maybe not so little but I'm outta here for a week. The Husband, The Little Miss, My Parental Units ( Mom and the dude she shacks up with) are heading to our neighbors to the south for beach vacation. We've rented a house, no TV, no Internet so I'll be a disconnected.

Since the guy that I wanted to win the election actually did win, we'll be heading back a week from Saturday. If that other guy won, we might have been tempted to stay.

Adios all!

My City on Fire

It was a very long night. Wish us well today. Friends and family have been evacuated from their homes and are making my home theirs. We currently have 6 adults, 3 kids, 2 cats and 1 dog in residence and invitations to many more who are "on official evacuation warnings." It, The Tea Fire, started last night and as of now, over 800+ acres and over 100 houses have burned.

The air is scented of smoke and ash is falling like rain. I sit at my desk hearing water dropping helicopters racing back and forth trying so hard to save what they can. It's devastating. It hurts, but it also makes me realize we have so much.

I Love Me Some Compliments

The Husband and I were at a friend's house the other night and she said to my husband, "who is that skinny chick you brought with you?"

I love me some compliments and I love me some friends.

My Timing Was Good

Starting "Time to Re-Commit version 2.0" yesterday was perfect. It couldn't have come at a more perfect moment and sometimes timing is everything. Every other week we get together with The Husband's family, his 3 aunts, 1 uncle, 2 cousins and their family, his mom and other miscellaneous stray family members for a "Family Night" dinner. The meals there are far from anything that may resemble healthy. Veggies? what? Salads are Iceberg Lettuce, with bacon bits, grated cheese, croutons and blue tree dressing. Highly processed foods, meats and starches are high on the list. I cringe when it's Family Night.

Last night was Family Night, we were celebrating a cousin's 2nd birthday and what was on the menu last night? Every 2 year olds favorite, Mac 'n Cheese. This was not your regular mac 'n cheese but the homemade ultra cheesy, ultra creamy variety. To top it off, it is layered with whole strips of bacon and put in the oven to bake or rather put in the oven so the bacon grease can drip its way through the cheesy creamy pasta. And the only side dish last night, baked potatoes.

I did the best I could under the circumstances and called it good. It was just another reminder of how not to eat and that we, for Family Night, can and should do better than that and personally, I want to do better.

Not Waiting for Tomorrow

I've been in a rut as of late. My highs have turned to lows, my eating has been crap and my motivation, lacking. Temptations are given into at every turn and I'm starting to feel the effects. I feel heavy and sluggish and just not right. I loved the feeling of being more active, light on my feet and an have an overall peace with myself.

I think this all started with Halloween. In past years, Halloween was never a big deal. Just one more day on the calendar, another reason for stores to make us believe we really need ghost, black cat and witch merchandise. We live on a street with no street light so we only got the bravest of the brave trick or treaters and didn't keep much candy in the house.

But this year, all was different. The Little Miss got it. We had some friends come over, they dressed up and hit the neighborhood. They eagerly went house to house with hundreds of other smartly dressed kids filling their plastic orange pumpkins with more treat than they could imagine. The race was on, would The Little Miss tire out before her pumpkin was filled or could she fill it before tiring out? Regardless of the outcome, she came home with a more candy than a 2 year old should eat in a year. We learned that Lafy Taffy is too sticky for her and she doesn't like the Almond Joy. On the other hand, she loves Reece's Peanut Butter Cups and Twix. I pretty much love them all and am acting like I've hit the jack pot whenever I peer at her loot.

This whole thing made me realize I need to have a plan for the holidays. I can't do this without being really focused and have some solid goals in mind. So here's what I'm doing. I'm going back to what has worked for me in the past. Plain and simple, moderation. Here are my guidelines:

1. Drink lot of water. It seems like the more I drink the better I feel. Grab a glass of water before grabbing food.

2. Up the exercise. Very important. Calories out have to be more than calories in. Pretty simple equation.

3. Eat in moderation. I'll eat whatever I want, I just have to watch the portions. Meaning I have to watch the portions get smaller, not bigger. Once again, calories in have to be smaller than calories out.

4. Don't drink as much wine/cocktails. I admit. I have a glass or two of wine, every. single. night. It's a rarity if I don't. If I cut back to weekends only, that would not only work wonders for my goals here, but also my financial goals as well. I might not be going to Starbucks and getting those fancy coffee drinks every day but cracking a bottle of wine ever other day pretty much equals the same thing financially.

5. Stay focused on the where you want to be in a couple of months.

6. Stay focused on the small victories because they add up. It's ok to say good job to yourself when you pass that box of doughnuts in the kitchen. Or when you exercise that extra 5 minutes. It's all good and we need to recognize ourselves for it.

7. Think long term.

Wish me luck. I started this today because I didn't want to wait and start it "tomorrow."