Be Authentic.

My goal for 2010 is to embrace [Me for Me.]

It is my belief, that society holds certain expectations.
And it is true that I hold certain expectations for myself. 
Is it society or myself that believes that you must appear to have everything together?
Is it me or society that believes that imperfections means failure which means inadequacy?

The truth is - it doesn't matter. 

Confession:
I (like so many others) have told myself, "You are not good enough" or "What will people think?".
I (like so many others) have hid personal struggles and imperfections.
I (like so many others) have created a life for myself that is full of shame.
I (like so many others) have felt shame about the very things that make me real:
[my size, my shape, my financial situation, how I spend my day, my education]
I have sheltered myself from judgment, criticism, and shame from others. 
It is debilitating and unhealthy to be like this.
I don't have the innate quality of , "Who cares" or "Be who you are".
The experiences in my life have lead me to be very vulnerable and protective woman.



But...
The air surrounding this young, new decade and brand new year, has been charged with change.
Feeling powerless, vulnerable, and shameful is no longer acceptable.
I want to be confident in the person I am.
I want to:
address my struggles.
embrace my flaws.
recognize my uniqueness.
love myself.

I want to welcome love, laughter, gratitude, and joy in my life.
It is not a resolution. It is a goal. A very important life goal. And an achievement I would like to see during this decade.

Mantra: [Me for Me].

Bragging Rights.

I am a self proclaimed bargain shopper.
I love looking for good deals & feel accomplished when I score low prices.

My last three purchases are the best in a LONG time and I just wanted to share.
Partly (mostly) to show off...
But also to encourage all my readers to be patient.

At the BX I had my eye on a Martha Stewart Quilt set.

This one to be exact: 

MSRP value: $250.
Military price: $140
Clearance price: $104


I LOVE it, but for $104?!? Are you crazy?! So... I went over to the price check, just to be sure that it was in fact $104...
I scanned the bar code and the little screen said $34! I scanned two more times... just to be sure.
Then I was like..there is no way that this quilt is only $34...
So I walked right up to customer service and I asked the nice lady:
Q: "This quilt is ringing up for $34 & before I get all excited, I would like to verify the price"
A: "Yes, it is $34"
(I may or may not have done a little dance)


So my bedroom got a little shot of color.


My other two finds were a grey denim skirt $6.
And dark denim boot cut - DKNY jeans $7.


Oh how I love good deals!

Christmas (Numero Dos)

The Hubby and I were truly blessed to have a wonderfully quiet and lazy Christmas holiday.
My Mom sent our presents early, so we had gifts from "Santa" and from each other under the tree.

Christmas day came and went & we loved it.
Then yesterday, 5 days after.. Justin picked up 7 boxes from the post office!
[Yes, 7!!]

It was Christmas alll over again. I loved every minute of it.

I may or may not have gotten misty.
I may or may not have opened the boxes very, very slowly.
I may or may not have stuck my nose in the box to smell my Mom's house.
I may or may not have put on a sweater she handed down to me and nearly cried when it smelled like her.
I may or may not have acted like a child last night.

We loved EVERYTHING!
So, Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The pictures of my brothers and Mom are already hanging on the wall.
The Pajama's from my cousin were worn to bed last night.
The tea has already been brewed.
The sweaters are already hanging in the closet.
The socks - are amazing!
The CD has already been listened to.
The cookies have been tasted.
The mittens were worn last night in the cold.
The scarf is ah-mazing.
And the jam, was perfect on my toast this morning.

I can't say it enough, but these people (these beautiful people) -didn't have to send us anything.
But let me just say: there is nothing like having gifts from home. Just knowing that we were in your thoughts over the holiday was enough, but it was really special to open hand-picked gifts from everyone.
We loved it all..
But we love you even more!
Distance does NOT stand in the way of the unconditional love I have for my family and friends.
And right now, I truly understand that.

Tonight is New Year's Eve and I couldn't think of a better frame of mind to start the new year with!
Sending all my love and thoughts out to you all as you say goodbye to 2009 and give a warm welcome to the fresh start 2010 brings!

A Year in Photos!

"To the attentive eye, each moment of the year has its own beauty, and in the same field, it beholds, every hour, a picture which was never seen before and which shall never see again."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have a very Happy New Year!

Dinner goes Greek - CYT style.

[Note: CYT is the acronym I use for the Cook Yourself Thin recipe book. The Hubby doesn't feel like he is eating she-she-foofy food if I say it is from the CYT book rather than the girly-book-with-the-black-dress-on-it. What he doesn't know doesn't hurt him.. it actually makes him healthier!]

Back in NY, one city away from my hometown, there is a wonderfully-delicious Greek restaurant. 
It was a special treat for our family and on my birthday, since we could decide what we wanted for dinner, I usually requested take-out.
Also, the Hubby and I had a special dinner there when we first started dating.
& I've introduced many family and friends to my love of Greek food through this restaurant.
[I'm definitely not salivating all over my computer desk right now...]

This is the restaurant that introduced me to the world of eggplant, lamb, cucumber dip, and feta cheese.
Needless to say, I've definitely been craving Greek food. 
So, as I was flipping through my recipe books, I found a similar recipe for lamb kebabs out of Cook Yourself Thin.

image via Amazon.com

Here is the page for the recipe, from their TV website on Lifetime.

It was so easy to make and it fed my craving for some Mediterranean flavors. I did not serve mine with the yogurt, I served it on top of some brown rice with a Greek-style salad on the side.
I got a thumbs up from the Hubby - which means this recipe is a real gem, since he is the disgruntled food critic...
Living overseas and shopping from our commissary can be limiting. So I had to make some substitutions..
but overall, I was able to cook it up according to the recipe..

If you don't have this recipe book, buy it.
They also have a new book called, Cook Yourself Thin Faster, which is the next recipe book I buy.

image via Amazon.com

I have used MANY recipes from my book, which is evident by the food-crusted pages...
It has gotten a lot of use in my house & although I haven't seen a dramatic change in my body shape, I feel TONS better about eating delicious and satisfying food that is well portioned and overall healthy!

All of the recipes are available on the internet on the websites above. [but just for good measure, you can click ---> here. Or here. Or here. ]

Promises for the Future.

So we have a 50/50 split about resolutions.
Some people make them and keep them.
Some people make them and break them.
Some people don't make them at.all.

Do it or don't do it, There is no doubt that people are full of anticipation and curiousity of what the new year (& new decade) will bring us.

Every year, I present my hopes for the future -  to the universe. Clearly, most everything is beyond my control. But, by doing this, I feel that I'm putting my best-positivity out there.

In addition to this, I'm taking this new year to simplify my life.
New Year = Fresh Start.
Kate from Centsational Girl has the right idea:

Go check her out. 

This new year, I'm starting with a lightened heart, mind, and home. 

Mail Call- New Year Edition

I wanted to share our New Years Card with everyone.

Without all the stamps.

Enjoy the rest of 2009!