Have you been checking that engine said the challenge...

I feel like I had to do a self check-no, not breast exam, but yes CALL for MAMMO!!  Note to self.

A check in on my "To do" list for this near year where I am letting go and opening up...Say goodbye to rigidness! A check in on my engine.  Oh I traded that 8 year old engine in...Escapes...

Anywho...my list...

• Exercise Move regularly-no number on that-don't want to pigeon hole myself.  I love working out but I NEED to remember it's about the quality not quantity.  And I don't want to overwhelm my life with HAVING to do it because I didn't do it yesterday.  This could include running, kettlebells, horseback riding, walking, jumping rope, bowling etc.

I have learned in the past 5 months that I need not plan.  I need not freak out when I feel like I haven't moved in days.  I need not.  I just must do.  So take up a friend on a 5:15 AM or a 6:30 PM run.  Or take a 6AM Spin class in NYC and travel back to Staten Island to work.  Due to an injury, boot camp and working out with my lovely ladies has been put on hold.  But this to shall pass as long as I take care of it.  Take care of me.  And that is what I am doing.  So I feel pretty secure that I am ROCKING this!  Moving and shaking! 

• Have fun.  I need to stop thinking so much and take control of having fun.

I think I have been doing this too.  Not worrying about how to have fun-just having it.  And fun is such a subjective word.  My fun just might not be your cup of fun but when I am not complaining or stressing, I am having fun.  Whether it be an i message exchange, a facebook challenge, a run, a book, singing to the radio, and my new fancy access to Sirius XM. OMG I call that fun, thank you new car!  And just to be around me, how can that NOT be fun!!!

• Don't stress.  I am me.  I am whatever I tend to be.  I need to take control of over analyzing and thinking far into the future.  Jenny McCarthy has a blog for the Sun Times and wrote a great entry this week that hit home regarding the importance of the moment. 

I am not stressing.  I AM NOT!!!  I am a driver.  I am always going to be a force to reckon with but I am not stressing! Much.

• Take on Complete a half marathon.  I really want to do one in Disneyworld...But I'll consider other favorites.

I signed up.  Step 1!!!!

• Pray with little man more.  We started doing this again.  We need to do this more.  Routine, love, thinking of others.

Done.  Can't wait for him to learn about God.  Maye he'll teach me a thing or two.

• Have fun with little man more.  Consistency yes but don't need to be so strict with NEEDING to do one thing or another. 

Done.  Not stressing (see a trend here) about always being a day full of activities.  What's better than playing evil life guard, Hansel and Gretel, banging the drums, playing at the park,  and dancing around from 7:30 AM until 8:00 PM???

• Help my son find his talents.  He has one or maybe more...but what will they be?  He is a good reader and an excellent story teller.

This is an every day accomplishment!

• Walk away more from little man.  No, I would never leave my son alone.  However, my friends might understand that I am a helicopter mom. In everything he does, I am a helicopter mom.  I need to step back and let him grow and make decisions on his own sometimes. 

He even asks me to walk away.  Not sure if it's he wants to play hide and seek (yes, that happens in the middle of homework) but he does it because he wants to show me he can do it!  On his own. 

• Make more dinners or maybe lunches.  YES I DO COOK!!!! Not often yes, a working mom and a picky eater as a son....my excuse.  But no more excuses.

Doing it!!! And I love it.  What's better than the crockpot that my mom won for me!  What's better than healthy recipes supplied by friends.  What's better than a home cooked meal?  Okay, filet mignon at a steak joint; Mexican food...

• Enjoy those around me.  Don't question intentions.  Don't question their acts. Just enjoy them and what they can give to me.

I am trying.  Sometimes I think too much.  Yes, I know.  But what is important, is that I am trying.

• De clutter.  From so much.  I need to hone this one.

I now throw out receipts and cereal from years past.  I call that a start.

• Become more literate.  About so much.  I need to think and do for me and little man.

Work in progress.

• Be aware of what and how much I eat.  Cause we all know good food comes in abundance!

I am.  Except the last two days when the ice cream and cookies kept jumping in my mouth!

• Read more.  So much technology and access to great books.

Yes, working on this.  During my down time.

• See more movies. Why not?

Been doing this too.  Mindless entertainment. 

• Challenge myself!  And know my best is good enough!!!!!!!

Challenge, what challenge???

I think I might be the challenge, and that's why you are my friend, and keep coming to visit me.

Happy May day!
Oh and a shout out to Matty-he is five years old on this first day of May!!!  He better start reading my blog.
Who's ready for Mother's Day?

Deadlines, Games, and Escapes

I have a lot to say this blog entry.  Like I always don't have a lot to say????

So let's talk deadlines-I feel like Jerry Seinfeld with this joke-who invented deadlines and why do they exist yet NOBODY follows them???  I always thought a deadline was when the line for opportunity went dead...no extension...no back door-DEAD.  According to wiki.answers.com, the idea dead line was originated in 1864-"It began as a real line, drawn in the dirt..., restricting prisoners in Civil War camps. They were warned, "If you cross this line, you're dead." Well then if that doesn't scare you! I mean really people.  Deadlines are there for a specific reason...not to scare you, but to set limits so you get things done properly without rushing and feel confident about your decision making, your writing, your life!

 Most people have a very different outlook on this. I always complete things before a deadline, no not perfection, just accountability. 

Okay, so life is like a game of...
chess?  Every move you makes brings advantages or disadvantages...
solitaire? You can win or lose.  Sometimes winning is backed by strategy and sometimes by luck.
Bop It? The instrument gives you a command, you perform it, as they get quicker and quicker-eventually you perform the wrong action.  Many of us have many things going on in our lives that our goal is faltered performing the wrong action at the wrong time.

Anywho...Life really isn't a game.  But makes you think eh?  Really with games, I wanted to say how fortunate I have been to social media this year.  I have won free spin classes at Revolve; won 2 headbands by Sparkly Soul and Team Run Disney on Twitter; and won free all day ride passes at the Steel Pier in Atlantic City by Visit AC.  And as I toy with what I do and do not put on Social Media, I thank all these people for their give aways and spreading some nice social interaction!

And lastly, some Escapes.  Well, 2013 has been a year of events so far; Some good and some bad.  But I have invested in my own Escape (s)  this month: one that was terribly needed;  one that I put off for some years; one that was needed even more and put off for longer; and one that I didn't even know existed but found it...and with that.  Happy Spring and a toast to all the Escapes we all need at some point in our lives.

Cleanse, Spin and Mashed Potatoes

I haven't spoken about food in a while.  My lust for food...sigh.  Can you taste it?  Wait, that sounds seductive.  And I, by no means, am seductive...

These last few weeks I have been back in the kitchen.  My kitchen.  And it feels good.  I really do love to bake and cook as long as I have the ingredients and the tools and the recipe to do so.  While I am trying to help little man to like, get familiar with, try new things to eat, I am finally cooking well for me.  Little man has so far tried pork cutlets and mashed potatoes.  Pork cutlets were okay on his watch.  But he couldn't risk it with the mashed potatoes.  Here's a picture of him trying them. 

Doesn't he look like he is gagging, forcing himself to throw up?  He WAS!  What kid doesn't like mashed potatoes??? DRAMA!

This week it's going to be meatloaf...

Connected to my last post,  flushing engines...I had a coupon code for Cooler Cleanse, a juice cleanse that I had reviewed a while back so I thought why not jump start February; My birthday month; Heart Disease Awareness month with a cleanse.  This time I did a one day juice cleanse followed by a raw cleanse. 

The juices were slightly different than my first cooler cleanse.  They were absolutely yummy, especially served cold.  I had six juices:
Sweet-a mixture of Kale and sweet fruits was pleasing and delicious as my first juice of the day.
Citrus-reminded me of summer....
Hemp-not my favorite but it was a nice treat while my little man enjoyed his milk and cookies
Green-maybe it's the celery and parsley that I don't like but I drank it knowing that all the nutrients I was getting are only beneficial to my body and blood.
Spicy-similar to the morning water, lemon and cayenne pepper drink that I live by...but the agave makes it all the better!
Veggie-red and green veggies and lemon.  Color was amazing and the beets are the strongest flavor.  And even though I don't eat beets, drinking it was a blast.

Drinking for whole day was easier this time around.  Maybe because I was constantly doing something but I felt no need to chew. I was never hungry and wanting something else after I drank a juice. And day one without coffee was headache free so that was a perk.  Was just an energized as I would have been with it.  

The next morning I started my raw cooler.  It is supposed to be juice X3, then snack, then entree and finally dessert.  I mixed it up a little due to how my day was planned and the activities I was involved in.  After a run through the trails I chugged down the pineapple and ginger juice-DELISH!!!!!!!!! And exactly what I needed.  Next up was the spicy lemonade-similar to the spicy but more sweet and lemony (is that a word?)  Finally a meal-zucchini linguine.  Wow.  The taste was amazing.  It was so flavorful I was upset that this was the smaller portion of the raw cooler.  I hope to replicate one day.  Another juice-watermelon and lime-oh summer where are you????????? Then the entree collard-wrapped enchiladas.  These were very good.  What is better than some greens, some nuts, and some spice?  I was afraid that the texture would freak me out but it didn't.  And finally the dessert apple pie.  This dessert should be served in restaurants.  Slices of apples covered in nutmeg and cinnamon and the nuts...oh my.....Heaven I wanted more.  However it was very fulling and couldn't stuff any more in.  This cleanse proved successful.-My body recycled it's toxins. I feel rejuvenated, refreshed and ready to take on February.  Try it out for yourself.  It's not the least expensive out there but I had a coupon and I was familiar with the quality.  Save on the shipping and pick it up for your self at many locations located throughout New York City. 

And day two without coffee-no problem. 

And what better way to help cleanse my body but also to cleanse the fat.  I had the opportunity to take a free spin class at Revolve New York thanks to Heidi, one of the instructors at Revolve and a CrossFit girl!!OMG!!! I took advantage of the "real ride" class last Friday evening. The sudio had a changing room and showers-it was clean and white and bright.  You could bring your own spin shoes or you can rent for two dollars.  I rented.  My first time with spin shoes. That was an experience but I can see why spin shoes are better. The bikes were great too. Even though there are many of them (I mean many), which means it is tight but my class had about 12 people in it so it didn't feel too overwhelming. RPMs  were visible on the bike which helped with directions from Heidi.  And helped me keep on track and to push when I really needed to.  They supply towels and have water for you to fill up your water bottles for free!  I really liked that.  The class incorporated weights and great music with an intense, ready to sweat workout.  Twenty minutes in I was wondering what made me spin again.  I let that pass....Because in the end I loved the class, the location, and spining again.  I cannot wait to make it back.