Healthy vs. Schmealthy

Healthy holidays? Really? Is that even possible? It’s a complete oxymoron if you ask me. Although I’ve been consistently unsuccessful with keeping my weight down, my blood pressure down, my energy up, my sleep regular, and my stress nonexistent over said holidays in past years, I’m going to give it another exuberant attempt this year! I’m determined.

To help ensure my success, I’m not calling it Healthy. That word scares me. It implies a lack of fun & spontaneity, and a plethora of restrictions, rules and longing for just one bite of something naughty. This year, I’m calling it Schmealthy.

• Being schmealthy will allow me to have fun with my kids more, spontaneously invite friends for dinner more, and to live without restrictions, rules, and longing.
• Being schmealthy will encourage me to eat small quantities of delicious, new-found veggies, fruits, whole grains, and low-fat dairy throughout the day.
• Being schmealthy will get me out of my chair at work to take a flight and wish holiday greetings to my coworker friends.
• Being schmealthy will put me in the FitZone during a Core Fitness class, or working the elliptical and laughing heartily during an episode of Ellen DeGeneres.
• Being schmealthy will mean walking to Horizon Elementary for my monthly volunteer tutoring, taking my cooped-up and way-too-hyper dogs for a jog/walk to the duck pond more nights than not.
• As a schmealthy mom, I will take my chefs-in-training kids with me to the grocery store to discover new options that they can help me cook for dinner, after which we will enjoy a small, sweet and delightful treat to satisfy our longing taste buds.
• As a schmealthy woman, I will fall into bed exhausted from my active day, and sleep soundly for a solid 8 hours, and then wake refreshed, renewed, and ready to tackle it all again.

Come to think of it, I’m actually looking forward to a schmealthy holiday and hope that it will set me on the right path for an even schmealthier 2012!

 

I Need A Silent Night

by Amy Grant



I've made the same mistake before
Too many malls, too many stores
December traffic, Christmas rush
It breaks me till I push and shove

Children are crying while mothers are trying
To photograph Santa and sleigh
The shopping and buying and standing forever in line
What can I say?

I need a silent night, a holy night
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here
To end this crazy day with a silent night

December comes then disappears
Faster and faster every year
Did my own mother keep this pace
Or was the world a different place?

Where people stayed home wishing for snow
Watching three channels on their TV
Look at us now rushing around
Trying to buy Christmas peace

I need a silent night, a holy night
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here
To end this crazy day with a silent night

What was it like back there in Bethlehem
With peace on earth, good will toward men?

Every shepherd's out in the field
Keeping watch over their clock by night
And the glory of the Lord shone around them
And they were so afraid

And the angels said fear not for behold
I bring you good news of a great joy that shall be for all people
For unto you is born this day a Savior, who is Christ the Lord
And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace

I need a silent night, a holy night
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here
To end this crazy day with a silent night
To end this crazy day with a silent night

 
 
~ I hope you have a silent night and a midnight clear at some point between now and December 25!

Warmer-ish Weather ~ Here we come!

~ Forgot to hit Publish.  Better late than never? ~

Thanksgiving morning, and here we are in St. George.  What?  Yup.

We're staying in a Country Inn and Suites hotel for three nights, enjoying Thanksgiving as a foursome.  It seems to be our new thing.  Last year, we made turkey and all the timmings and hung out by ourselves.  It was the first holiday that we had celebrated with 'just us,' and we loved it!  Although it was weird to not be with extended family, we did have a great time with our own kids and each other.  So, we're doing it again.  We feel so lucky to live close to many of our family members on both my and Dave's sides, so there are ample other occasions to celebrate with them.  Do I sound like I'm trying to convince myself that it's okay?  I guess I am, partially.  But then I think about what I would be doing right now if I weren't sitting in a hotel bed in my pjs with a cup of coffee and my laptop, and I remember why I'm here.  :)

But, on this Day of Thanks, I want to share what I am thankful for.

• My family
• Our Health
• Having all of my needs and most of my wants available to me
• My beautiful home
• A church family
• A truck that's almost fixed
• Great neighbors who are making sure my house is okay while I'm gone
• The kennel staff who are taking care of my four-legged kids so I can have a weekend with my two-legged ones
• My job, and my fun coworkers
• Fellow bloggers who keep me learning, inspired, and challenged to remember who I am, why I am here, and what I should be focusing on
• 11:11 on 11/11/11 and a clear path
• The country I live in and the plenty it affords me
• My decision to go back to school and how all of those pieces are falling into place
• So many other things that would take more than a day to chronicle.

As I send my thanks upward for my many life blessings, I am also praying for many who are not as fortunate.

We hope that you had a great Thanksgiving with whatever composes your family, and that you have lots and lots and lots to be thankful for in your life.