Health and Fitness Challenge at The Motivation Station

Hi, my name is Martha and I'm a chocoholic.

This month at the interactive and supportive blog, The Motivation Station, we are hosting a challenge to take incremental and realistic steps to support and sustain a more healthful lifestyle and improved well being. Such a lofty high-faluting statement, but what it really means to me is I need to cut down on my consumption of my most favorite food, Chocolate, and replace it with more fruits and veggies. Simple as that. Instead of making Chocolate, especially good chocolate like See's or Ghiradelli, one of my five food groups or Sometimes All of my five food groups, I need to make it into an occasional treat. By the act of identifying and posting about this goal, I am making myself accountable and hopefully increasing my chance of success for long term positive changes in my diet.

Please stop by the Motivation Station if you would like to play along and do you have anything that you are ready to change?

Paperboard Perfect Moment Monday

Welcome to Perfect Moment Monday, hosted by the gracious Lori of Weebles Wobblog, and thank you for your visit.

I have many perfect moments to share from my survival, I mean, ENJOYMENT of the holidays, but one that really lightened my heart was watching our 11 y/o and 14 y/o sons, with No Less Than Three Game systems including a BRAND New P.S.P 3 in the House, take the discarded cardboard boxes and wrapping paper tubes and play with them for hours nonstop with their friends. They constructed shields and weapons of course, (cause they are boys and that is what they do), and used up every roll of packing, mask, and duct tape we had, but it is a true joy and one of the many highlights of my holidays to see the fun of friendship and imagination, and kids being kids.

Pink Wall and Bench for Inspiration

Happy Pink Saturday and I send my best wishes for a Rosy 2010 to you!
Sometimes I feel like I "hit the wall" when it comes to finding inspiration for Pink Saturday and sometimes the Wall and Inspiration find me. I hope you enjoy these photos taken at the Community Charter School in Bel Air, California.


For more Pink in the New Year, please visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound and Thank you.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, Off to Orange County We Go

Hi Ho, Hi Ho

Off to Orange County we go,

To see the Brother from S.L.O. Hi Ho Hi Ho!

Happy New Year, to You, and Your Loved Ones Too!

I know this is lame, and that's okay, Hi Ho, Hi Ho!

I am sorry too, for not only this, but slamming the snuggie was a Big No No, Hi Ho Hi Ho.

So be safe out there and lots of <3 from me to you!

Strange Presents I have known

I am so glad you got that fabulous present for the holidays, but what I really want to share about is The Clunker presents, like a Snuggie, which is really a backwards bathrobe and major fire and safety hazard. Thank goodness, no one I know has received or purchased one of these sartorial horrors. Or maybe they are just too embarrassed to admit it.

Some gifts I recently received include a desktop Leave Me Alone button - you push it and it has a whiny female voice that repeats, "Leave Me Alone" several times. Just what I've always wanted, Not ever!*

Another is a book titled, "Don't You Just Hate That? 738 Things That Annoy". Because I just don't have enough things in my life that annoy me, my friend wants to provide me with additional annoyances. Nice, verrry nice.

If it's the thought that counts, then maybe I need to figure out what this adds up to. How about you? What strange gifts have you received?

* Dis disclaimer- I do not disrespect,solicit, or requests gifts of my friends and I am truly appreciative of the kind gesture of friendship. Sometimes, I just wish folks weren't so kind.

Scrapbook Under Pressure

I can only scrapbook under pressure, like for my parents' 50th wedding anniversary or my Uncle's 80th birthday. I am in awe of people who scrapbook on a regular basis and I was intrigued with the Christmas Challenge hosted by the lovely Ruth of Everyday Life of a Suburban Mom who is a Scrapbooking Seamstress of Excellence. Literally, she has a sewing machine for her scrapbook. The gadgets, papers, and embellishments available are a little overwhelming, so for me, a little scrapbooking goes a long, long way. (After This One Page, I am now good for at least a year, maybe longer, unlike some of my neighbors who meet every Friday night to crop the hours away. That and imbibe blender drinks and California wine, hey, maybe There Is Something to this Hobby.)

So in appreciation and for consideration in this challenge, I present my entry featuring my family's Christmas card.

I loved the Leland Thomas quote that was a required element-

In the eyes of children
We find the joy of Christmas.
In their hearts
We find its meaning.

Please double click to embiggen. I had a lot of fun doing this and Thank you for sharing in our Holiday Greeting Card for this year.

Holidaze

Happy Holidays and I enjoyed Christmas with our family and friends very much with no major trauma, drama, or bloodshed, which is always a good thing. As my Dh pointed out, "Your mother didn't harp on you." See, we have Really lowered our Expectations around here for the holidays. Plus, she was just too Damn busy being neurotic about her dog and that my dog was eating her dog's food. (So this is what I have to look forward to when I am eighty years old? Oy vey.)

We changed up some things this year for the holiday that really helped make it much more fun and relaxing than the grind in years past.

We started decorating after Thanksgiving instead of waiting until mid December. Ugh, never again. No sooner do you put the garland and tree up, you are taking them down.

The boys, especially our youngest son, took charge of the outdoor decorating. They did a beautiful and inspiring job and used up every electrical extension cord we own and we regularly trip our circuit breaker, but Oh Such Christmas Spirit!

Instead of a sit down Christmas dinner slaved over by us, we hosted a Christmas pot luck for our friends and neighbors where everyone chipped in. Ah, Delight not to be cleaning the kitchen at midnight.

We also decided to trim our invitations to those folks who reciprocate friendship and hospitality instead of just the take, take, take side of the equation. Some of these families have been to our home for a meal, oh about a dozen times, and we've never seen the inside of their house, well, gee, that certainly sends a message doesn't it? Well, we got the message and acted on it and glad we did.

I love Christmas, but its preparations and expectations wear me out. I realized that I am a New Year's Eve kind of gal, even though I don't believe in New Year's resolutions and my disco ball and big hair celebrations at crowded nightclubs are decades in the past. Now I celebrate with a nice meal and a toast at 12 midnight NYC time with my family to welcome in the New Year which brings a sense of peace and calm that I extend to you and yours.

Please let me know how were your Holidays and how you feel about the New Year?? Thank you for dropping in and I always send my Best for a wonderful 2010.*


*Is the first decade of the 21st century over? Or does this happen next year? Or does it really matter because it's just a Julian calendar we follow versus an Aztec or Jewish?