 |
| Blue nosed cat! Rare LED breed... |
To those hospital workers and first responders who are working the holidays- thank you! It wasn't that long ago that I hung a stocking on a lab wall and supported the ER and critical care units, spending my breaks and lunch with my fellow Med Techs/CLS's and lab support staff family. You have may admiration and thanks for working to keep my family and the community safe and well.
I don't take any time off at the holidays for granted.
2013 Holiday Priorities:
1. The best! Time with Jr. Family Member and other family.
2. Very awesome: Visiting with friends and neighbors,
3. On template food that doesn't trigger but is flavorful and rich and low inflammatory- Tasty balsamic beef crock pot roast from George the Civilized Caveman and recipe to follow for garlic Red Argentine shrimp. Using spices/flavors to celebrate the holiday: cinnamon and peppermint extract.
4. Great walks and photos at the beach and some tide pooling.
5. Last minute shopping: Land's End (Sears) has a great sale on long sleeve shirts and turtle necks. Replacing my smalls with X-Smalls for more clothes that fit. $12 for a long sleeved shirt that will last 5-10 years. Yeah!
6. Prioritizing time into 1-5 and eliminating activities that stress me out and made me sick.
Ghosts of Holiday's past:
1-2: Not wanting to be in photos because of my weight.
3. Going to parties/dinners to eat and not visit.
4. Sitting and watching TV or sleeping on the couch due to 1-3.
5. Stocking multiple sizes of clothes so I could over eat and cover up with huge sweaters and mental promises to "restart" come Jan 1.
6. Spending time on things that did not bring me joy- house decorating, gift wrapping and bows,
card sending, cookie baking, junk buying, and emotional eating. Customizing 1-5 has brought more joy to the season and less illness. I used to get majorly ill on the last week of every year. Not any more! Okay, everybody knock on wood right now...
Here's to prioritizing yourself and your health this holiday season. Toss the old traditions and embrace the new normal. Safe travels to you all. I salute all of you for prioritizing yourself and your health this year.
 |
| No snow, but the tea trees were blooming |
Blue noses cat is very cute pic.
ReplyDeleteWe did not put up a tree this year. Would just need taken down again (I am in midst of very slow major surgery recovery and my kids are 24, 20, 16 for anyone reading that who does not know me).
All three kids were wiped by the time they finished finals. Oldest, 2nd year grad school, said he had not really slept in about 4 weeks. So very simple suits everyone this year. Girls are knitting like crazy. Oldest has a new game he saved for break.
Merry Christmas to you and yours.
I wish I had simplified sooner, Vickie! Ah better late than never. This is my 9th year as a single parent, so I'm looking forward to many more years of basic Christmas and more time into- sleeping, exercising. Merry Christmas!
DeleteI LOVE Land's End! Have a wonderful Christmas, Karen!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to you, too, Gwen!
DeleteThe lists resonated with me. I'm guilty of so many of those things. I've only just gotten my head wrapped around NOT bingeing during Christmas, and so far so good.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!
Maren, stopping binge eating any time is a huge effort, so give yourself a lot of credit. It took several years for me to deal with and finally get the emotional/binge eating to be in remission. Keep up the good work and I look forward to your awesome photos and following you along the way.
DeleteI realized today just how far I've come. We were out at the mall and while the husband ate in the food court I simply enjoyed a good cup of coffee :) I also was totally satisfied with a salad with chicken and some Greek yogurt tonight as I knew I'd be eating a little more tomorrow (while sticking to what works for me). It took me a long time to know what works for me but when I finally figured it out I couldn't figure out why I didn't do it a long time ago!
ReplyDeleteHi Suzanne, getting coffee while out is my favorite way to stay on template while out running errands. It does take a while and time off the trigger foods- IMO- to connect the dots. I had success many, many Christmases ago- like 1982!! But, finally, in 2011, I could connect those dots to form the whole picture. Keep up the good work and congrats! I raise my coffee cup to you. Happy Holidays
DeleteThe tea trees look amazing.
ReplyDeleteHope you had a fantastic Christmas and here's to the coming New Year.
Look forward to more blogging - reading your posts and loving your photo's.
All the best Jan
Thanks, Jan. More blog topics in my head (writing them down on paper today) and more great photos on plan for 2014.
DeleteDid you see your mention on Jimmy Moore's Livin' la vida Low Carb? Congratulations!!! I like that you titled them "priorities" instead of resolutions. Excellent way to frame it!
ReplyDeleteHi Kaki!!! I did. Number 1 on the new December blogs list http://livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog/28-new-paleo-low-carb-health-blogs-for-december-2013/21462 I'm excited since I got to meet Jimmy (and Sean Croxton earlier this year) .
DeleteYes- processes, priorities- kind of buzz words but it gives me a new frame to keep working on the process. Never ending . :) Thanks for stopping by
Love your rare breed blue nosed cat. You should market him! Hope you had a great holiday!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Leigh. I had a great holiday and now back to work until the New Year. Things are a little more quiet around my house, so I hope to do some behind the scenes work at my house and the blog. I'll be in touch soon!
DeleteGreat holiday priorities!! I love that - especially enjoying food that doesn't trigger more unhealthy eating! Bad cycle to get in. Life is worth making better choices!
ReplyDelete~ Margene
This is an informative post review. I am so pleased to get this post article. I was looking forward to get such a post which is very helpful to us. Keep it up. . I know something information, to know you can click here
ReplyDeleteLawn services Brisbane
Lawn mowing services