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4 January 2011 by

This is sponsored content from BlogHer and Reebok.

So if I’m being completely honest, I have to tell you that 2010 was a Major Fail for me in the exercise department. Maybe my worst year yet.

Oh, I did a little walking here and there. And I cranked up a work-out DVD a time or five. But with the exception of a whole lot of swimming back in the summer, the words “daily exercise” weren’t in my vocabulary a whole bunch. And even though I know it sounds trite, and even though I know it sounds like millions of other people, I can’t help but tell myself that 2011 will be better.

(2011 will be better.)

(2011 will be better.)

(If I repeat it over and over, will that make all my fitness dreams come true?)

I have to say, though, that 2010 brought some really good changes in our eating habits. For whatever reason – and this was never anything that we sat down and planned – we gradually made a switch to a much simpler diet. Lots of vegetables, lots of whole grains, plus good-quality meats that are prepared very simply and flavorfully (is that a word?). And as a result of those changes, we’ve felt a lot healthier. My husband paired the smarter food choices with a regular work-out regimen, and he’s entering 2011 about thirty pounds lighter than he walked into it.

But now? It’s time for Mama here to get on board. Which means, among other things, that I may have to dial it back a notch or two on some of my favorite foods.

Oh, it is a blessing.

I know that if I set unrealistic goals (lose 40 pounds and/or fit into a tiny size and/or look like Heidi Klum and/or run a marathon), I’m just setting myself up for failure. I think a better strategy is to find two or three small things that I can do well and do consistently. The mental and emotional battle is just as big as the physical one, so I know that it’s super-important that I take that into account. So here’s what I’m thinking in the way of goals / changes / strategies for a better, healthier life in 2011:

1. Drink more water. I know I’ve mentioned it before, but diet soda and I have a little bit of a thing going on. We’ve had a thing going on for YEARS, in fact, and I really need to loosen my grip on those 12-ounce aluminum cans. The caffeine has a bit of a hold on me as well, so while going cold turkey (I just wrote “gold turkey,” which sounds like a fascinating albeit unrelated issue) isn’t the best option, drinking more water and less diet soda seems wise.

2. Go to bed earlier; wake up earlier. I have an unhealthy relationship with the snooze button. I tend to err on the side of burning the candle at both ends, which means I’m always trying to grab bits and pieces of sleep whenever I can – and because of that I tend to stay up too late and fight waking up in the mornings. This year I want to at least be in the bed at a more reasonable hour, and I’d like to wake up about fifteen minutes earlier in order to make my quiet time more of a priority. I’m a better, more even-tempered, more level-headed person when I set aside that time in the morning, and I want to do a better job of keeping that appointment with myself.

3. Move. I’ve never been a runner. I like the idea of being a runner, but I’ve decided that my transformation into a runner is just about as likely as teaching a cat to bark. However, I’ve had a lot of success in the past with walking. I really do enjoy it when I make a point to carve out the time for it (the time element is huge for me). This year I want to put on my walking shoes again (side note: I’m intrigued by the Reebok Easy Tones – I actually enjoy the process of toning up my legs, and I think the Easy Tones would make that process even quicker) and hit the trails behind our house. Walking three times a week would be a huge improvement for me, and it would also make that second goal I listed a whole lot easier.

So what about you? What’s one way you plan to improve your overall health and wellness this year? Leave a comment with your answer, and you’ll be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card. Plus, for more chances to win, just visit the Exclusive Offers section over at BlogHer.com

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Filed Under: BlogHer Reviews

New Year, New Opportunity To Bore You To Pieces

2 January 2011 by

I know I’ve mentioned this about 152 times, but after a 2009 holiday season that was a little rough because of the way family travel plans fell out (and was made worse by the fact that I was on the front end of a few months where I would feel a strong pull toward pajamas, television and no small degree of loneliness), I wasn’t exactly in my finest emotional state at the beginning of 2010. And while my normal reaction under similar circumstances would probably be to dream up some fun activities for the three of us or use the time productively or try to see the bright side of the situation, SUCH WAS NOT THE CASE IN 2009.

Given all of that, D and I agreed at the beginning of December that we were going to make a conscious effort to Take Part In Activities during this most recent round holidays. And oh, did we ever. We didn’t over-commit or anything – and we made sure to have plenty of at-home time – but we may have set a personal record for Having Plans. And do you know what? WE ENJOYED IT. Plus, we had more time with extended family this year (we saw D’s family and my brother’s family before Christmas, my parents were here Christmas Day and then Sister and her hubby were here for FOUR WHOLE DAYS after Christmas), not to mention that I got to catch up with some sweet friends last week. IT WAS ALL QUITE DELIGHTFUL.

And all that to say: I think it was our best Christmas and New Year’s ever. Seriously. We had an absolute blast. And in the end it had very little to do with the activities and everything to do with the fact that we got to spend time with lots of people. I told D this morning that the end of 2010 was pretty much the antithesis to the end of 2009, and I can’t tell you how grateful I am for that. Because while I know there are lessons in every season of life, it sure is more fun to sit around a table and laugh until your sides hurt than it is to stay in your pajamas for three days and struggle to remember the last time you took a shower.

I’M JUST SAYIN’.

Anyway, here are a few pictures of All The Fun.

Alex got to hang out with his lifelong friend AC when we met my friend Norma and her girls for lunch this past Wednesday. It’s always so great to see them. Norma and I put the kids at the table next to us and let them eat their food and visit while we ate our food and covered about 72 different topics in an hour. We started off talking about hair color and had made our way to the spiritual gift of prophecy by the time lunch was over. Those two topics weren’t related, by the way, though you can rest assured that there have been MANY times when I have longed for someone to speak a prophetic word over my hair, amen.

I picked up these DELICIOUS gingersnaps for half-price when we were running errands Thursday morning, and OH MY WORD THEY’RE TASTY. I’m embarrassed to tell you how many of those cookies we’ve eaten over the last four days, but you can rest in the peace of knowing that it’s A LOT. They’re so thin and crispy and ginger-y – all the qualities I admire in a gingersnap.

Friday morning Sister and I went to a few of my favorite stores in Homewood, and afterwards we hopped over to my friend Jan’s bakery to pick up some cupcakes. When we were leaving Jan said to be sure to stop by the new antiques market at the end of the street, and since we were feeling all footloose and fancy-free-ish, we did just that. There were lots of different booths, and I couldn’t help but think of a couple of friends whose husbands love to hunt when I saw this:

THAT’S A LAMP BASE, PEOPLE.

When we finally made our way to the back of the store, I was drawn to a booth with a bunch of original paintings. I loved the colors, loved the style, and when I saw how affordable the prices were, I picked out one for my foyer and brought it home.

YOU CAN IMAGINE MY JOY.

We capped off the day with some friends who stopped by for New Year’s Eve, and oh sweet mercy I laughed until I cried. Sister and I managed to stay up until midnight, but everybody else had given up the ghost long before that. We really weren’t even staying up to welcome the new year – we were just trying to work in a little last-minute research before Mississippi State played Michigan in the Gator Bowl on New Year’s Day. Pre-game preparation is essential, you know.

(If anyone is still reading this post, I should probably offer you some sort of prize.)

(I’m just as sorry as I can be about your certain boredom.)

(But it’s like I have to document all of this stuff so that I can free up memory space in my brain and move fully into 2011.)

(The crazy takes up a lot of room, you understand.)

Much to our delight, Emma Kate and her daughter C were able to join us on New Year’s Day. Since all of EK’s fellas were hunting, she and C had a girls’ weekend here in the ‘Ham. I CANNOT TELL YOU how happy it made all of us to have them here. EK even brought Sister and me a little treat she’d run across the day before.

We had a fit over them. Sister called them our Gator Bowl Good Luck Bling Rings. I mean, do you see how those fake diamonds sparkle and shine? We thought they were PERFECT, and besides my cowbell, my ring will be my new favorite game day accessory.

I didn’t have any huge expectations going into the game, but it didn’t take too long to figure out that the Bulldogs were on FI-IRE. I’ve never seen us play that well IN MY LIFE. Sister, EK and I screamed and hollered and cheered and jumped and hollered some more. And get this: the Bulldogs had such a big lead for most of the game that I never even pulled out my vacuum. CAN YOU EVEN BELIEVE SUCH A THING? We really are so proud of our Bulldogs; they finished the season 9-4 (MY WORD) and made this past football season one of the most fun I can remember.

(Yes. We totally paused the TV so we could take that picture.)

(Yes. We are goobers.)

(Yes. We are PROUD goobers.)

(YES. 52-14!!!!)

It really was the best New Year’s Day ever.

Hope yours was, too.

Go ‘Dogs!

Filed Under: Beloved Bulldogs, Rambling

Happy New Year

31 December 2010 by

I’ll be honest. At the end of last year, I sort of wanted to hand 2009 its coat, escort it to the door and then very gently and authoritatively KICK IT TO THE CURB.

It was a humdinger, it was.

And while this year has been a humdinger in a lot of ways, too, I’m just a little bit sad to see it go. In fact, I want to give 2010 a great big hug and ask it to stay just a little bitty teensy while longer. Not because it’s been easy. Not because it hasn’t had its fair share of hurts. Because oh have mercy – 2010 has more than delivered in the refining department. There’s been death and illness and heartbreak. There’s been loneliness and insecurity and fear.

But there have also been lessons that I’ll treasure in my heart forever. It’s been a year of not just knowing that God is faithful – but seeing His faithfulness over and over again. It’s been a year of seeing how intricately God works in our circumstances, of seeing the Truth of 1 Corinthians 2:3-7 over and over and over again.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

I’m so grateful for this past year. Even though it’s been really difficult at times, even though I look back on last January and February and think Maybe I should’ve asked my doctor for a little medicine to take the edge off, even though there have been moments when I’ve sort of thrown my hands up in the air and wanted to give up completely on this problem or that situation or the stuff in my life that just completely confounds me, I am ending this year with more peace than I’ve had in a long time.

And that peace isn’t because everything is perfect. OH MY WORD, NO.

That peace is because God is perfect. He is loving. He is gracious. He is holy. He is merciful. He is good.

And I trust Him.

So given all that, my prayer for 2011 is really pretty simple:

O, for grace to trust Him more.

Happy New Year, y’all.

Filed Under: Rambling

I Don’t Even Know What To Say

29 December 2010 by

Last night Melanie and I were feeling all wild and crazy and decided we were going to record a new podcast. The last couple of times we’ve tried to record one we’ve had weird technical stuff happen, and the problem with the weird technical stuff is that WE DON’T HAVE ANY IDEA HOW TO FIX IT. Last night, though, we were confident that we were going to have some serious podcast victory.

Well.

Around 10:30 we both got on iChat, but unfortunately iChat was unwilling to recognize that we were online. No matter how many times we quit the application, opened it again, restarted our computers, etc. and so on and oh sweet mercy so forth, we continued to show up as “offline” in each other’s buddy list. In a fit of desperation I finally decided to re-add Mel as a buddy, and that did the trick. And reaching that solution only took about 45 minutes of our time. So it was an exercise in efficiency, really.

After we got an audio chat going, I started recording on my end, and after about 20 seconds we had a connection error. Tried again. Another connection error. Tried again. CONNECTION ERROR. By that point Melanie was on the Google, trying to figure out what the issue was, and on some Mac message board she saw that we might need to change our port settings. Quite frankly I thought that sounded like more of an activity you’d deal with when, I don’t know, YOU’RE BOATING, but in the interest of NOT LETTING TECHNOLOGY BEAT ME I followed the port-changing instructions.

And then we started another audio chat and got disconnected and Melanie called me on my cell phone and said, “I DON’T UNDERSTAND. ALL THIS INTERNET BUSINESS IS FOR THE BIRDS AND ALSO I’VE NEVER FELT LIKE A BIGGER NERD.”

After some more Googling we came to the conclusion that the iChat wasn’t interested in being our friend anymore, so we decided to try Skype, which is how we recorded our first few podcasts back in ye olden days when we used to record more than two a year. We both had to download Skype onto our computers because neither of us has darkened Skype’s doorstep in about two and a half years, but once we got Skype up and running, we were full of hope. Giddy with podcast promise.

So we started an another audio chat. We marveled at the sound quality (I have to say: it was spectacular). We made sure our sound settings were good to go, and, about 50 seconds later, we were disconnected.

By this point we had pretty much left all of our warm and fuzzy want-to-record-a-podcast feelings way, WAY behind, but we turned to Google one more time – just on the off chance that there was an easily fixable problem. But all we saw were reports of some horrible Skype outage right before Christmas and message board thread after message board thread about how Skype doesn’t always get along really well with Macs.

And at that point we had to admit that, at least temporarily, the technology had taken us down for the count.

So here’s my question: do any of you nice people have any suggestions for a better, more reliable way we could record the podcast? In the past we’ve done audio chats via Skype or iChat, I’ve recorded on my end using WireTapPro, and then I make a few edits in Garage Band and upload the file to Libsyn. We’ve tried recording directly into Garage Band a few times, but for whatever reason doing that has crashed my computer. So that might not be the best method.

Based on what the Google has told me, our method of recording is pretty typical and should be a best-case-scenario for two people in different cities, but for whatever reason iChat and Skype are giving us tons of trouble lately. The iChat method worked fine back in May, but since then it’s been a big bust whenever we’ve tried to record something.

Is there some bigger and better way to talk online that we don’t know about? We just have so much pointless, absolutely meaningless information that we long to share through the podcast format, and given the technical frustrations of late, I thought I’d check with y’all for possible solutions so that we can continue with our particular brand of nonsense as quickly as possible.

That is all.

And just FYI: I think I’ve pretty much hit an all-time high with this post in terms of BRINGING YOU THE NERDY.

(I just typed “BRINING YOU THE NERDY” by accident. But I would imagine that nerdy becomes somewhat more potent when immersed in salty water.)

Happy Wednesday, y’all.

Filed Under: Bloggity Fun

Tackling The Hard-Hitting Issues Of 2010

28 December 2010 by

Well, considering the fact that yesterday moved past mere procrastination into real-live action, I think it’s safe to say that it exceeded my expectations. I NOT ONLY showered and put on real clothes – but we went out to lunch and ran a few errands, too. My MUST-PREPARE-HOME-FOR-THE-NEW-YEAR gene kicked in, and I found myself looking longingly at Rubbermaid storage tubs and cutlery organizers in Target. I managed to contain myself (GET IT? THE WACKY ORGANIZATON PUNNY-NESS?), though, and all I bought was some cushion-y shelf paper for the cabinet where I keep my pots and pans.

I’d hate for the newest members of the family to be uncomfortable, after all.

Hasn’t shelf paper improved by leaps and bounds? I remember when blue and peach plaids were all the rage, but now the shelf paper is much more modern and kicky and fun.

Anyway, after we got home this afternoon I started taking down Christmas decorations (I know. It’s probably too soon. But I need to deep clean this house, and it’s difficult to deep clean when you’re swimming in a sea of garland.), and as I was working I started to think about some highlights of 2010. I wasn’t thinking about anything deep or meaningful or anything like that – just your various and sundry memorable moments in entertainment. So here are some of my favorites from this year. And keep in mind that I’ve been pretty behind on television, and I don’t read that much, and I rarely go to the movies, so basically what I’m saying is that I’m quite the expert.

1. Into the Morning – Ben Rector – This was hands-down my favorite CD of 2010. It was our summertime soundtrack, but more than that there are some incredible lyrics that will stop you in your tracks with the wisdom. Can’t recommend it enough.

2. Friday Night Lights, Season 4 and Mad Men, Season 4 – Both of these are shows for grown-ups, and they’re not always easy to watch. MM was even tougher this season because of Don Draper’s spiral into alcoholism, and the ongoing struggles of the Taylors and Tim Riggins made FNL almost unbearable sometimes. But SWEET MERCY there was some brilliant acting in the mix, and that acting (plus really good writing) is what kept me coming back week after week.

3. 30 Rock with Jan Hooks as Verna – I laughed, I howled, I clapped my hands. Great one-liners, perfect timing – it was a comedic treasure (“Wear something real nice like white jeans and a Dan Marino jersey”). Adored it.

4. This. Because do you see how it’s been viewed about 49,000 times? I’d be willing to bet that the members of my family account for about 3,000 of them. It’s a delight.

5. Surprised by Worship – Travis Cottrell – I actually read this book for the first time after I’d tried to break every bone in my body by falling down the Cottrells’ front steps. And do you know that I stayed up until almost 2:30 in the morning reading every single word? This book really prompted me to reflect on times when I’ve been surprised by worship in my own life – and remembering God’s faithfulness is always a very good (and encouraging) thing.

6. The Best Thing I Ever Ate – I don’t know if I’ve ever watched a TV show that helped me solidify dining goals like this one has. Every single time I watch, I can’t help but think THIS IS SOLID TELEVISION GOLD. The combination of delicious food and the chefs’ commentaries is just perfection. The “snack foods” episode will forever be a precious memory for D and me. With “totally fried” a close second.

7. Phineas and Ferb – Listen. We are all about putting limits on TV time for our little guy, especially during the school year. But things loosen up a bit in the summertime, especially late in the afternoon after we’ve spent most of our day at the pool. This past summer we ran across Phineas and Ferb, and it’s probably the first kids’ show that we’ve loved to watch together. It’s hilarious. HILARIOUS. I haven’t seen a single episode since August, but I can’t wait to watch it again when summer 2011 rolls around.

8. Despicable Me – In 2009 my favorite family movie was Up. This year it was Despicable Me. It was funny and smart and tender – and I actually saw it twice AT THE THEATRE. Such a sweet message about how love changes everything, and Steve Carell is great in it.

9. “Andy’s Play” – The Office – I’ve been a little disappointed in The Office the last couple of seasons, mainly because at some point the characters started to get on my nerves a little bit (the same thing happened to me with Glee last year – it just wasn’t the show that I wanted it to be, so I stopped watching). All that to say: this episode brought me great joy (by the way, you might not want to click over if there are kids in the room – LITTLE EARS, you know). I just love how earnest and sincere Andy is…totally endearing. Not to mention that Creed’s expressions at the end of the episode are priceless.

10. Big Fish by Daniel Wallace – I read this book a couple of months ago, and it has stayed with me like nobody’s business. At the end of the day it’s all about letting loved ones have their own stories – and letting go of our need to control or interfere in the narrative. It’s a beautiful book.

Okay. What about y’all? What were some of your favorites this year?

p.s. There aren’t any affiliate links in this post.
p.p.s. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, of course.
p.p.p.s. I just felt the need to clarify.
p.p.p.p.s. Remember, overexplaining is my spiritual gift.

Filed Under: Rambling

I’m Fresh Out Of Titles

27 December 2010 by

Considering that I woke up at the crack of 8:45 this morning, I’m thinking that all signs point to a restful, relaxing wrap-up to 2010. My husband has the week off, which means that for the first time in a sweet forever, our little family will have lots of uninterrupted time together. Right now I’m using that time to procrastinate in terms of taking down the Christmas decorations (just FYI: I need to CLEAN THIS HOUSE). Yesterday afternoon I chose to procrastinate by watching four episodes in a row of “Giuliana & Bill.” So I think it’s safe to say that I am committed to some serious holiday excellence.

Our Christmas was probably my favorite ever; Christmas Eve was super fun thanks to some friends who hosted open houses, and Christmas Day was laid-back, easy and good. My parents rolled into town around 5:30 Christmas afternoon, so we got to have Christmas dinner with them (I made Chicken Tuscany, and while D and I loved it just as much as we did the first time I made it, I’m not so sure my parents were fans – it may have been too many mushrooms and too big a deviation from sweet potato casserole). It poured snow Saturday and Sunday, and even though it didn’t stick, we had the best time looking out the windows and watching it fall.

(pretend there are gorgeous snow pictures here)

(the ones I took didn’t really do the snowfall justice)

(because you can’t really tell that it’s snowing)

(so all together now: “Ooooooooh!”)

(“Ahhhhhhh!”)

(“BEAUTIFUL!”)

My people surprised me with the gift of some really nice cookware, and I am still just TICKLED by it. I’ve always used whatever cookware was on special at Target or Walmart, and it typically works just fine until it peels and cracks and we have to throw it out. A few years ago I bought a Dutch oven at Macy’s that I have just LOVED, and I’m now the proud owner of new pots and pans from that same line. Oh, HAPPY DAY.

(My 21 year-old self would be all, “Um, it’s POTS. I don’t get it.”)

(Obviously my 21 year-old self had no firsthand experience with the bliss of cookware contentment.)

So that’s about all that’s going on around here. I think I’ll go jump in the shower and get dressed for the day because it’s important to pretend like you’re going to be productive even when your biggest plan for the day is to start playing catch-up with the DVR.

The pretense of productivity is precisely why I’ve been known to spend an entire day in my work-out clothes without ever doing anything that could be interpreted as “physical activity” or “exercise.”

Oh, it’s good to have the illusion of goals.

Hope y’all had a wonderful Christmas!

Filed Under: Rambling
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