My Resolution for 2012?

Is not to make any!  Let's face it, we never keep them.  We have the best of intentions, but it never fails, 1 day, 1 week, 1 month in...KAPLOWEEE!  Our resolutions blow up in our faces.

I've found the promises I make for myself throughout the year tend to last instead of the ones I make on New Year's Eve.  Maybe because they are truly changes that I wanted to make.  I made a commitment to myself without the pressure of a day or a tradition. To make a change, you truly have to WANT to do it, not just say you're going too, know what I'm saying?  So, don't be pressured into coming up with something by the stroke of midnight.  If anything, promise yourself that you'll look back at 2011 and see how far you've come and raise your glass as the clock strikes 12:00.  And then tomorrow, ponder the possibilities of what 2012 may bring.

So, when people ask you what your New Year's resolution will be, you can say "none for me."

....Except for maybe doing food logs.....(wink)

Happy New Year!  Y'all be safe tonight, and I'll see you next year!  (i know, i know, corny joke, but it just never gets old!)

Traditions

I don't remember much from my childhood, bugs my family to no end!  But there are a few things I remember, especially our Christmas traditions.

Christmas always started for us on the Eve at Grandma's house.  I was too young to realize or understand everything that was going on, but I do know the kids, well me anyway, eagerly awaited present time.  You see, every Christmas Eve we were allowed to open one present only, and every Christmas Eve you could count on a new pair of pajamas!!!  Pajamas we looked forward too every year, pajamas we would try on and model and then get tucked into bed so Santa could come. 

Christmas morning would find mom and dad with their thermos of coffee and us kids ripping open first our stockings and then our presents while the homemade cinnamon rolls were baking in the oven for our breakfast.  The rest of the day we would play with our toys, eat cinnamon rolls and watch Christmas movies (White Christmas is still a favorite!) IN our new pajamas.

As we've grown older, moved into our own homes with our spouses, most of out traditions have disappeared or evolved.  For instance, Christmas Eve is now at my brother's house, I try to make it "home" every other year to be with my family, and I no longer get my pajamas.  I'm not a big fan of change, might be the little bit of OCD in me.  Some traditions I've tried to institute within my own family, but without much luck.  I'll be honest, it's made me a little sad over the years.  I know not all my family traditions could work with my new family, I mean, I married in and they already have their own traditions in place, but heck, you can't blame a girl for tryin', right? 

Merry Christmas!!!

So, instead of getting sad, I've realized this morning that I can start making my own traditions...for myself.  This morning, I went out for my first ever Christmas Day run.  Since I don't plan on stopping running, hopefully this is something that I can do for myself every year.  To come off of the holiday stress, to maintain sanity among the holiday hustle and bustle,  to ward off the Christmas cookie assault!  So, here I am, with a picture to prove it!

But between you and me, I still want my pajamas.

Little Lung's Return

That title sounds like it could be a movie.  I can see it now, the role of Hope "Little Lung" Childress to be played by Mila Kunis....

Anyway.  Instead of a really nifty name like "Dances with Wolves" or "Runs with Horses" or "Speaks in Quotation Marks", I have been given the name "Little Lung."  Maybe it's not as endearing as some, but it is valiant just the same and I absolutely adore my new name!  The last two or three months of 2011 for me have been filled with mucus and two lungs that might as well have been underwater.  I have since made a 99.9% recovery and have resumed my workouts and eating somewhat better, just like I told you I would.  Here was my pledge list and an update in progress:

• food logs will resume (Well, kinda)
• workouts will resume (CHECK!!!)
• lots of water will be drunk  (CHECK!!!!....where's the bathroom?)
• meals will be cooked at home (CHECK!!!!....Food for Thought posts forthcoming!)
• no junk food will enter the threshold  (um....sure?)
• I will forego the Christmas cookie bake-a-thon  (no bake-a-thon, but I did do one batch, and yes, I ate most of them.  crikey.)
• I will remain honest about my progress (See bullet points above)
• I will hold myself accountable (Do Life Movement forums, a whole bunch of AWESOMENESS!!!)
• I will succeed.  (Still in process, but I'm sayin'.....OH HELL YEAH I AM!)

Being it's the holiday season, accountability is going to be KEY to get us all through with only limited collateral damage.  Have a cookie.  Have two, but for heaven's sake don't pull a Hope and eat the whole gosh darn plate!

And with this post, I lead us, and SeriouslyHope, into the holiday season.  I am going to say Merry Christmas, because it is the best way I know how to wish everyone the best of wishes, whatever holiday you celebrate, and a very happy, healthy and active 2012.  It's going to be a great year folks.  I can feel it.

Okay Ma!  It's time to put the coffee on, get out my Vixen mug, put the little piece of chocolate on my pillow that's on the blow up mattress.....
'CAUSE Momma, IMMA COMIN' HOME!!!!

Lisa DeFlamingos: 6 Days to Go

Thanks to my sister AND my mother, I bring you a typical family conversation.

Lisa DeFlamingos: 6 Days to Go: oops.  I forgot to do my blog last night.  To my avid readers I would like to give you my sincere apologies.  To make up for it, I will give...

The Semester is Over, The Semester is Over!!!

Let your regularly scheduled programming continue.  But first, a word from our sponsor....

Test Drive

Okay.  First, you know it's been a long time since your last run when you've forgotten your login to your Garmin Connect account and your watch hasn't been updated since Daylight Savings Time.

Today I was tasked to take myself out for a test drive and run 2 miles to see how it would go.  Well.  It went.  It's amazing how much fitness you can lose in 5-6 weeks!  My bones were creaking, my muscles were squeaking, my knees and hips were asking "but...why?" My lungs, well, my lungs were good until about 1.25 miles in.  I think I had forgotten how to breath during my hiatus, so it didn't help when the lungs got heavy.  A bit of a cough here and there, but no fits thanks goodness.

It may not sound wonderful, but in a weird way, it was FANTASTIC!

You see, I was afraid that since I've taken so much time off, that I wouldn't make it back.  But last night, I couldn't fall asleep.  I was so excited about running today.  So excited that I woke up at 4:30 am, a half hour before the alarm was to begin it's daily buzz.  My old routine felt like an old friend; welcoming, familiar, comfortable.  I forgot how much I liked watching the world wake up and knowing that I did something good for myself.

It'll be slow going, but at least I'll be going.  One day at a time and I will be thankful for it!