Do you believe in the importance of traditions? How about folklore and superstition? Even if you don't I think it's fun to celebrate Holiday's and special occasions by making special memories and creating lasting traditions that will comfort and make your family and friends feel special.
This is actually a post I did last year but honestly, it was so good I just can't imagine making anything else to celebrate the New Year.
We all know that eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day is supposed to bring good luck and prosperity.
Black-eyed peas are a common Southern dish, and the practice of eating them for luck is generally believed to have begun during the Civil War. When Union soldiers moved through Mississippi, they burned all the crops except the peas because it was believed that only farm animals ate them. When Southerners found that black-eyed peas were the only food left, they considered the legumes a sign of good fortune.
Other legends say that the practice dates to ancient Egypt when it was believed that eating a meager food like black-eyed peas showed humility before the gods and you would receive blessings of prosperity in return.
Whatever you believe this recipe is fancy enough to celebrate with family or friends on New Years Day and simple and healthy to start your year off to a healthy new way of living.
Lots of changes this year with the family and how this Mom/Trainer will be spending the Christmas Holiday…all good, but different.It feels weird for me having to adjust to the changes in life and not just for the holidays, but with my hormones. Thanksgiving month was the start of struggle with marked and increased changes to that which I can only attribute to transitioning into another part of womanhood…OH MY!I mean really…all at the same time…during the holidays…really, really???
I was already having a bit of a time adjusting to the changes occurring with how the holidays would have to be split up as a Mom of adult kids that have their own new agendas…bitter sweet happiness…but still a big adjustment.Mixed in with the throws of hot flashes, high anxiety, other personal changes, irritability due to sleep deprivation, just not feeling like ME…GEEZ…the pumpkin seeds just are not cutting the mustard anymore…lol…and for heaven’s sake watermelon season is long gone.I am so blessed to have such a supportive husband through this journey and hats off to all the other husbands out there that are understanding and do not take personal all the goings on of menopausal issues…GOLD STARS!
I am such a faith person and celebrate what Christmas means to me as a woman of God, but let me tell you, I have had to have more than a few one on one conversations over the last two months.Life can feel overwhelming when hormonal changes are occurring and YES…although I am usually springing about happy as a clam during the cherished holiday season…it just has not felt the same this year.I understand that it is probably the combo of everything happening at the same time, but YIKEE.It is even more awkward that I can’t even offer up a good explanation for feeling high anxiety…I already have an A1 personality type anyway which probably does not help.On top of that, what the heck happened to my energy, stamina, and everything else that felt like Darla…I mean come on now…this is a double REALLY, REALLY?
OK…I am sharing some very personal things right now and please do not confuse it for complaining…I am letting you know that I, just like you, go through life, experience what every woman of a young, fit almost 50 can go through and it can SUCK.YES…I said it…some days, it really sucks to not feel like ME…my plug has been pulled right out of the wall and I am holding onto the cord going OK…now what?You know me…I do not let things get the best of me…so more research was in order and a trip to the doctor.I have worked with many women who experience peri-menopause and menopause symptoms and although I suspected that this was indeed the culprit invading my inner body space, I needed to rule out the possibilities of medical issues not related.Believe me, I would have hit the floor with a positive pregnancy test…love babies, love my children, am a grandmother…but that would have definitely sent me to the peri-menopausal special place for TLC.Whew…negative…let’s move on and off that subject.
The beautiful thing about life is that we all experience different things when it comes to reaching menopause…some sail through without a scratch, while others, and that would include me, do not necessarily care for the changes that are happening through the process.So, through my research, I am giving a natural herb blend menopausal support supplement a try and am hopeful for a positive result after reading the reviews,understanding each herb independently and the possible benefits/negatives to the body.The next few months will tell me if I need to take a different direction, but I will keep a positive outlook and in conjunction with the transdermal hormone creams that I use now, what do I have to lose.I will let you know how it goes a couple of months into my herbal therapy.
What a subject to write about during the holidays, but HERE IT IS…out of my control, happening right now, and Merry Christmas Darla…ho hoho.One of my fabulous clients shared “look at it this way…you will be able to wear white pants now”.I had to laugh…she was right…love my clients.As much as I motivate them, there are days that they motivate me without their even knowing it.I say, I really enjoy my strong coffee in the morning right now too…especially after a night of visits from the” flash club”.This is a part of my life that I have no control over, except for the introduction of herbal supplements, but that truly does not change that I am changing.Acceptance of again, the New Modified Me, feels like it needs to repeat itself through my menopausal journey.Technically, I will not be in true menopause until I have not had a cycle for a year…WHAT???Ughhh…so, I can be out and about in my new WHITE PANTS and still be surprised…OH FA LA LA LA LA…JOY JOY JOY JOY.
Honestly, it can feel unfair, but I have experienced all kinds of unfairness in my life, AND all circumstances have been used to grow me in a positive way to be a BETTER, STRONGER, and even MORE FAITHFUL person.So, I will look upon this part of my life in the same way, and I CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY.In fact, I am HAPPY and have so much to be thankful for with my health, meeting the man I can truly say I LOVE and understand fully what that means and feels like, my children, family, friends, clients, and even the fact that I have a roof over my head and a warm bed to sleep in…more than HAPPY…I am humbled and thankful.So, when the overwhelming Life is Bigger than ME Menopausal Monster tries to creep into the crevices of my mind and body, I will try really hard to concentrate on all the things positive in my life.This is in fact a journey that will require patience and TLC, and I know that some days will be more challenging than others, but I also realize that even this experience will enable me to help others, and through that, I will be blessed.
HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and Stay Healthy~
From My Family to Yours
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Have a FABULOUS weekend and upcoming holiday week!
Dedicated to my Always Supportive Hubby, Don
Stay Healthy!
Darla;)
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Traditions are what makes the Holidays so special and coming up with new traditions to celebrate with your family is even better. Every year when we were little we would have a cup of hot warm cocoa with mini marsh mellows while we decorated the tree. I remember feeling so special while holding that cup of creamy sweet chocolate and watching with my brother and sisters as the tree slowly came to life. We were always in our footsy jamies, the red "Annie" ones were my favorite and we always put out a small plate of cookies for Santa by our fire place, a rarity in Phoenix to be enjoyed only once a year on Christmas Eve.
The expectations and anticipations of Christmas come flooding back to me now that I have 4 children of my own. I relish in living vicariously through their utter thrill of all of the magic of the Holidays. Keeping up with most of the traditions that mine and my husbands families enjoyed so much and cherishing the new ones our own little family have started.
Going to Cost Plus World Market every year and letting all of the kids and ourselves pick out one special ornament to hang on the tree is a tradition that we started many years ago with our children. This has proven to be such a treat as the kids bounce out of their slippers every year as we drag out the Christmas boxes and let them rifle through the ornaments finding the ones with their initials and the year marked on them that they chose them and then hanging them perfectly on the tree. I know that we will cherish those ornaments forever and ever.
Making the hot cocoa that literally defines Christmas in my humble opinion is another tradition we have stuck with. I however prefer to make it with a good quality cocoa powder and sucanat or turbinado (organic) sugar instead of the boxed/packaged/overly processed variety and then adding a bit of pure peppermint extract and using a peppermintcandy stick to stir up the chocolate that settles at the bottom of the cup. Mini marsh mellow are of course Absolutely, Positivelystill Required. After all a little bit of marsh mellowy goodness never hurt anybody.
Now, if you'll excuse me I'm going to start a very recent tradition and go sit out in our new bubbly hot jacuzzi. I love living here in the Arizona desert, 58F is the perfect temperature.
What are your Holiday traditions?
Peace, love and peppermint wishes from Simply Healthy Family.
What is the first thing that comes to mind…money…right?Well, that is part of the “Cost of Living”.I see this phrase in a whole new way as in the choices I make with my life.What I choose to think, feel, how I act, respond, do or not do all determines my “Cost of Living”.
Happiness comes at a price and so does stress and struggle.I know that when I feel at my best and happy about how things are going, the cost for me is a great day, feel on top of the world, confident, and just all together fabulous…right?Just as allowing some injustice that has been thrown my direction to take over my whole persona, well the cost would be stress, anxiety, and just an overwhelming YUCK feeling in my life bank.
Sometimes, it is difficult to always pay the right cost all the time in life to receive the right result.Look at how the “Cost of Living” affects health and I will speak personally here…If I choose to sit around and do nothing active, then the cost would be that my body receives no benefit of exercise, no positive endorphins to flood my system…and boy do I love that feeling, and really puts a damper in my routine.Let me hit up my nutrition using the same analogy.If I choose to eat processed crap, overload my system with sugar, and do not pay attention to what I put in my face, the cost would be not feeling well, probably constipated (YUCK), low energy, and really not feeling mentally good about ME. In both regards, my health would suffer at the cost of my not taking care of ME.
The mental game comes with the biggest cost as it really determines how each day will unfold, and overall how life is lived.If I walk around with an “I can’t” attitude, the cost for me would be “I won’t” which eventually leads to never will, and I would suffer not only emotionally but physically.Can you imagine what kind of life that would be for me…bitter, depressed, judgmental, wanting it but not willing to work for it…feeling the victim in life…now that is a heavy cost of living.Looking at the flip side of having an “I can” attitude, the cost would be “I will” and “I did”.Putting forth some energy (cost) to reap the benefit of a happy healthy life sounds like the type of journey I would and will want to continue for a lifetime.
That is ultimately what I am trying to get across with the “Cost of Living”…YES, it takes a conscious effort to want a healthy life and I do want this for ME. It does cost me time, energy, some money, planning, and caring and I am not saying that it is always easy, but I can tell you that it has been worth it. So I do put money in my health bank in the form of exercise, healthy food, water, quality ME time, time with God and many things that are invaluable…money can’t buy my health, but the things that I do for ME can and do provide me with a life that is full, healthy, and happy.
IN YOUR FACE MOTIVATIONS
Dedicated to My Mother ~ Happy Birthday
Thanks for stopping by my Blog, hope you enjoy the content, and if you have not become a follower yet, I would love to see your face on my friend's list. If you are inspired, LIKE my entry, leave a comment and I look forward to responding!
Have a FABULOUS weekend and upcoming week!
Stay Healthy!
Darla;)
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My daughter sent me a text to let me know she was having a “Friendsgiving” tonight and the more I looked at the words on my phone, the more I thought about the meaning of the words. My mind started reeling with ideas of how I would write about this and a quick call to my girl to get her insight was in order.Well, my daughter and her friends have been meeting every Tuesday for girls dinner night, where they take turns preparing the meals, and enjoy a special sharing of their lives…talking, laughing, comparing stories, and eating the meal prepared with their own hands…no orders in…these gals are serious about their food, their lives, and their friendship. Sounds somewhat like “Sex in the City” gone REAL and how FABULOUS is that!
I think about that and am proud of the special bonds that my daughter has with these very special ladies…I have had the privilege to meet a few of them.They celebrate their year anniversary of “Girls Dinner” night for Friendsgiving this year…HAPPY ANNIVERSARY LADIES!
My Daughter and Her Fabulous Friends
This struck me deeper than the words Thanksgiving this year, as spending time with those we love can and often times does include people that are not related by blood, but a deeper bond…a chosen bond.A true friend is a rare gem and gift from God and to have more than one is even rarer.Think about the sharing of food made with your own hands, laughter around a table, sharing stories of life and really listening and caring about the lives and feelings of others around that table…WOW…now that is a THANKSGIVING!
I am saddened by the many who struggle through the holiday filled with hurt, pain and overwhelmed with stress at the very thought of going through the motions with people, some family, some not…but honestly, none of us…yes, me included…are not immune to hurt from time to time, and during the holiday it can feel larger than life itself.It is in those times, where a “Friendsgiving” would feel so good to be a part, to be able to share openly, honestly, and receive that in return, to relish in the aromas of food made with tender, loving hands, warm laughter and REAL moments of caring surrounding each and every person.I wish this moment for every struggling person out there on this holiday…a very special “Friendsgiving”.
I was reminded of something from my daughter today as she shared her story of “Friendsgiving”… cherish the bonds of special friendship, take the time to stay in touch, to share a meal, a laugh, a cry…LIFE.As I celebrate the holiday with family and friends this year, I will be thankful for my chosen bonds, those gems in my life that will hold my hand when I need it the most.
Thanks for stopping by my Blog, hope you enjoy the content, and if you have not become a follower yet, I would love to see your face on my friend's list. If you are inspired, LIKE my entry, leave a comment and I look forward to responding!
Have a FABULOUS weekend and upcoming week!
Stay Healthy!
Darla;)
Receive My Stay Healthy Nutrition Guide as a Free Gift and Thank you when you donate to Stay Healthy Fitness...
