Holiday Grub

Unfortunately, there is a drawback to the food when visiting for holidays. There are so many goodies laying around begging to be tasted, nibbled, shoved into ones mouth. How could I possibly resist their calls?!

It's self-sabotage, I know. I had lost inches and pounds over the past month and it has taken a week to reverse that success. At least at home we don't have such temptresses laying about (or in the house at all for that matter).

I have done one workout of The Shred (two days ago) and have been making serious efforts to drink 2 liters of water each day plus I am trying to avoid where the sweets and salties are laying around. Today I think I'll break out The Biggest Loser Boot Camp or Weight Loss Yoga DVD. Wish me success, please.

Now I'm off to a bacon and egg brunch. Yum!

Are you resisting or giving in to the holiday food temptations?

I Survived Christmas

Well, I made it through the Christmas hectic-ness with a good time had by all. I suppose the season will come whether you are ready for it or not.

We enjoyed a drawn out holiday with gifts, food, friends and family. Christmas Eve with my sister-in-law and her family, Christmas morning with our small family, Christmas Day and dinner with my family, Boxing Day with my in-laws.

We are actually enjoying an extended visit with my in-laws and will also celebrate New Years with them. I am grateful for the mini-vacation, away from the house. My brain seems to get a good break that way as I'm not constantly finding things to clean or move or what-have-you. I am helping here with laundry and cleaning but it's more a gesture than a necessity, if that makes any sense. I'm also significantly through a beautiful crochet sweater for myself and have finished one book and a good start through another.

I am wishing your holidays were as joyous as mine have been.

Secrets of the Millionaire Mind ~ Review

Secrets of the Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth by T. Harv Eker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Nice light holiday reading. Not really ... more like thought provoking and new year resolution plotting. This book had a few "ah has" for me which makes it a good reference book for the future.

Specifically I liked the idea of putting 10% of your earnings to put away to save for investing and another 10% into a savings or "spend" account. I think I need to look at the Canadian Tax Free Savings Account (which pays a high interest rate) to save for vacations and have the second one earning interest for us to create a seed account for investing.

Second, I really want to start creating a passive income. Eker provides examples of two primary sources of passive income that caught my attention. The first source is "money working for you " (e.g. stocks, bonds, money markets, mutual funds, owning mortgages or other assets that appreciate in value and can be liquidated for cash). The second is "business working for you" (e.g. rental real estate; royalties from books, music or software; licensing your ideas; becoming a franchisor; owing storage units; owning vending or other types of coin-operated machines; and network marketing). page 157

Eker suggests you choose three ideas to research and become an expert on. I'm going to check out a few and see what is feasible on a modest or less financial investment commitment until our investment fund grows.

View all my reviews >>

Christmas Time Is Near ... And I Still Need Gifts!

Egad! This month is on its way out and I've barely a post. I hope you will forgive me. Are you busy this season too?

I have everything ready ... except for the husband. Isn't that terrible? I seemed to be able to find something suitable for everyone on my list (and trust me, it's an extensive list) but when it came to my hubby I've been absolutely stumped!

Hubby bought himself a volleyball and a drill (whoopee) and I got him some Christmas boxers but now what am I going to do? I need SOME bit of a surprise and some stocking stuffers. Tonight I'll rush to the store and get him some of the traditional (e.g. toothbrush, chapstick, etc.) but sadly nothing "oh my gosh!" is coming at me. I did whip up a crochet hat this afternoon that I need to finish the ear flaps on in secret but that won't be too long coming.

Got any brilliant brainstorms for me?

Christmas Preparation Updates

Can you tell I've been busy with the holiday season (see no blog posts since December 9th).

I have the kids away and have just cleaned the house from top to bottom. Hubby is vacuuming so I can mop and then it's holiday mayhem ready.

I've wrapped the gifts we have and am hopping on the computer to quickly prepare and order personalized calendars for the final gift efforts and then I am done! All of this with 5 days to spare!

This week I am looking forward to enjoying with the kids and lots of outdoor play so they go to bed at an early hour.

I suppose I need to think of 2010 resolutions ... have you thought of yours yet?

Christmas Cards

I may be late but it's better than never! I mailed my Christmas cards today. They should get out by early next week at the latest ~ I hope.

This year I find that I've got a piece of the spirit that I've been lacking in years past. I'm even organizing a small cookie exchange!

Maybe I'll even unpack the Christmas decorations that are sitting in four totes on the landing to the basement. We'll see ... let's not get all crazy now! Seriously though, it's late now (I wanted them up beginning of November but hubby didn't dig them out until just this past weekend when I was recovering from the flu). We'll barely get them up and then have to take them down again. Anyone else with me on this one??.

Merry SITSmas!

To all my SITStas, happy holidays! I've really enjoyed getting to know a lot of you this year and hope you have enjoyed reading all about me.

This is my family this past July 2009 at my sister-in-laws wedding. With two little ones, this is the best shot with all of us smiling and in the frame.


For 2010 I do want to continue with this blog regularly. I really enjoy the therapy it provides and the sanity that my SITStas give to me. I also want to continue to enjoy my family and live in the moment. Ava starts school in September and time does go so fast. Even though the kids drive me batty most days, I want to remember that they are just being the little girl and boy that they are supposed to be and that I love them for who they are. I would be empty without them in my life.

Merry SITSmas!

Dear Santa

Santa Claus is coming to town. I don't have decorations up (yet, although that's the plan for today before the kiddos return from their grandparents'). I also don't have our Christmas cards written and in the mail (but I do have the list updated). And I almost forgot about Santa Claus letters. Egad! Thankfully they are a little young that they wouldn't have been devastated but still!!!

There are 11 days to get my letter in to Santa and to get him to write back. I am going to make a template and get all the kiddies (daycare and my own) to do this on Monday.

I gotta keep on top of this stuff to stay at the top of the nice Mommy list! LOL

And because I haven't written a letter to Santa in too long, I Googled (and Googled and Googled) how to write a letter to Santa. I found the clearest instructions on e-how. (Be careful when you search because I almost got a virus or worm ... maybe I have but I can't tell yet and I've done scans, scans, scans to check it out).

From the instructions on e-how, this is the template I came up with (this one is from my 3-year-old daughter ~ of course, she'll pepper it with her individual wants I am sure) ...

*****
Dear Santa,

I have been a very good girl this year. I listen to my mommy and help with my little brother Travis. I even go to pre-school to learn as much as I can. I love art.

Santa, could you please bring me ___ for Christmas?

My brother, Travis, is 1 and he would like anything you bring. He's not that picky but a truck or train would be nice.

Thank you, Santa.

Love,
Ava & Travis

De-flu Cleaning

The flu is terrible. Never mind the stomach flu!

I got the bedrooms all decluttered and those bathrooms scrubbed as well as the floors washed and hubby vacuumed but now I need to dust it all. Fun life of a homemaker, eh? LOL Thankfully it's cold enough out that with the blinds all opened it is cold enough and like airing out.

Then it's off to finish the main floor (where the daycare kids play also and were all sick). That will be fun scrubbing down those toys but maybe I'll get to chucking a few of them to make room for Christmas and January/March birthday toys.

Oh, and the laundry ... does it seriously never end? Luckily there are wonderful Christmas movies in the background to keep me company.

The Shred ~ Dec 5 Update

I got the stomach flu. Bad. It was not pretty. I'm recovering today. Weak but getting stronger as the day progresses. I've decided to not do The Shred again until Monday since I don't want to make myself any more sick AND I have to spend what little energy I have de-flu-ing the house.
The kids are at the grandparents so I have no excuse as I can take my time without little ones following and undoing what I accomplish (only the husband around to do that but at least it's only one person and not three of them!). Does anyone else find their hubbies to be clutter makers?

Shred It

This is the month. I am committing to working out daily with Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. If you work out daily for thirty days, this twenty-minute program promises that you will lose 20 pounds. I'm game. I need to kick-start my metabolism to get back the pre-baby, pre-postpartum depression me. I really want to lose the majority of it before Christmas. Twenty-five days ... I think that should be about 17 lbs according to Ms Michaels promise. Bring it!

I am posting a side-bar update on my daily progress. Want to join me? Leave a comment and let me know as I'm actively looking for buddies to check-in with and compare successes or struggles.