1-800-L-A-W-Y-E-R

I do not even think so...

Annie!  Jules!  Look what I found at the Bev Max down the road.

I had to sneak this picture because they were watching me....

It must have been my gasp that caught their attention.

They have copied us.

Brazen.  Wanton. Plagiarism.

What should we do?

I mean, we invented Cocktail Corner.

We are Cocktail Corner.

Skywatch Friday

The side benefits of a stormy spring can be manifold.

Be thou the rainbow in the storms of life. The evening beam that smiles the clouds away, and tints tomorrow with prophetic ray.

Lord Byron

Skywatch Friday is the genius of Wom Tigley! 

Pay him a visit.

This-N-That Thursday

I think we need to do a little housekeeping and catching up here in Mental Land.  It's been a busy spring what with my rugrats (proms, SAT's, lonjry), my blog hopping, work, Fred and Bessie, Twittering, blog hopping, grocery shopping, cardio.  You know, life.  Anyway, I thought we'd take today and get up to speed.  Oh, and that Hot Flash picture has nothing to do with anything, although it may become my own personal logo.  Kind of catchy, no?

How is everyone doing with our little fitness challenge?  Have you upped your exercise quotient?  I have always done some form of exercise, but I think sitting at a desk and blog hopping working all day has a great deal to do with my new blubber issues.  So in that regard, I am making a conscious effort to move around a bit more during the course of my daily life.  My goal is to sweat for at least an hour each day.

Water.  I have doubled my consumption, and I swear my skin already looks better just 4 days in to this.  I add lemon to it to make it all fancy, plus I read somewhere that lemon is a detoxifying agent.  It may very well be, but I just like the flavor.

Problem:

Wine.  Sigh.  While I am not swearing it off entirely, I have to say that I am feeling like it may have made a difference already.  Alcohol is sugar, and your body will work to burn that all off before it even gets to fat-burning mode.  In addition, when I drink wine, I tend to eat more.  So, in order to jumpstart my own return to fitness, I am not having any cocktails for a week or so. You can do as you please.  I think it might be a good idea to try to eliminate at least one sugar or fat vice when you want to move the scale in a backward direction.  I hate to admit it, but I do feel better these days.  Sigh.

As far as diet goes, I have always been a fairly healthy eater, so I am focusing on smaller portions right now, and really feel no different in terms of deprivation.  First of all, starving yourself doesn't work over a long haul.  It's the type of food choices you make and the quantity.  One thing everyone can do is add more fiber.  Dr. Oz is all about fiber; he says women need at least 25 grams per day, and most don't get half of that.  I just love him.  He might even qualify as my secret boyfriend like the ones Mrs. G is always lusting over talking about, but that is for another day.  Make sure you eat lots of veggies and lean protein, and you will feel a difference.  Both in your jeans and your demeanor.  I swear I am in a better mood....maybe because I'm not struggling to breathe when I sit down to blog hop work.

Other items I need to discuss:

Can anyone believe the story about that poor woman who had a baby on a plane?  In a galley kitchen?  And then had to fly three more hours afterwards to get to New York.  Yikes.

What is the consensus on Sex and the City?  I was never a fan of the series, so I'm not exactly in a big hurry to go.  But I'm open to reviews.

What is your favorite commercial these days?  I love those Ocean Spray Cranberry ones--you know with the two guys in the cranberry bog.

Does anyone have anything fun planned for the weekend?  I need to live vicariously.

Well I guess that's it for now, but please try to head over to Kacey's Wine on the Keyboard to vote on your favorite "motherhood" submission.  You don't have to vote for mine, just pay her a visit.  All the pictures are really great.  Serious.

ABC Wednesday

T is for Twins.

Two Peas in a Pod

Two Gifts from God.

ABC Wednesday is the brainchild of Mrs. Nesbitt

Check it out.

Best Thank You Notes Ever

My brother and his wife have triplet boys who just turned 11.

I know.  Triplets.  Boys.

I sent them each a 20 dollar bill, and I am sharing their notes.

They always write me the funniest thank you notes which I love--

Not only because they are from my wonderful nephews, but because I feel like letters have become a dying art.

You know, the kind in an envelope and with a stamp.

Does anyone else out there find that good old fashioned letter-writing is in short supply these days?

That's right Johnny, dream big.  A Lambourgini it shall be.

And Russell, I think your father is right.  We are all just a bunch of hillbillies.

A pool with a gold fountain?  Can I come over when you get it?

Alex, you are all extreme.  And Auntie LaLa loves each of you to bits.

Accountability

Okay my friends.  Today is the day.  The day we start treating ourselves a little bit nicer. Mkay? I plan on getting my old self back without a whole lot of deprivation.  Wanna play along?

Here's my deal.  I am fairly tall (5'9"), and have rarely had to watch my weight.  Now there was that minor detour of a twin pregnancy where I may or may not have gained 90 pounds.  But that is all behind us now, and it was well worth it.   

 I think.

Anyway, year 40 was okay, not a big change, but when I quit smoking for good at 42, all bets were off.  I had smoked off and on for 20 years, with about ten years off during that span, but I  really decided that I wanted to stick around.  So I quit.  And if you smoke, you should think about making a serious effort to do the same.  It is bad for you, in case you didn't know.  But I digress.  So when I quit smoking, I started the South Beach Diet the next day.  It was great because my biggest smoking trigger was cocktail hour, and on the first few weeks of South Beach, you don't have cocktail hour.  Well you do have a five o'clock hour, but it is a seltzer, with a lime if you want to jazz it up.

I actually lost several pounds right after I quit smoking on this regime, but at about the age of 45, my metabolism just stopped.  Dead in its tracks.  I am 48 now, and do not want to enter the next phase of my life with sugar, blood pressure or heart issues.  All of which can happen even if you are just 20 pounds heavier than you should be (that would be moi).  At least that's what Dr. Oz tells us, and I think he is just the smartest guy out there.  And he's cute, too! That motivates me.

So, here's what I offer up this week:  No deprivation...unless you want to cut out one vice.  For me, that will be my wine (it's my sugar).  Whine.  I may have a toast for Annie's birthday on Wednesday, but not overindulge.  I sometimes do that.  Overindulge.  So the wine is out for a while.  What I want to focus on is adding more good things.

Here's what I'm adding this week:

• More water (double the intake every day)
• More exercise (at least an hour a day--and you don't have to do it all at once)
• More food in its natural state and nothing prepared (no Triscuits, Wheat Thins...)
• Take my calcium every day (I don't always)

I am purposely not setting too many goals because I want to end this week feeling like I did what I said I was going to do.  You know: Walk The Walk.

I am going to post some of my activities on my Twitter, and you can see it on the right side of this post.  Better yet, get yourself a Twitter account (Free!) and do your own twittering.  It is fun, and slightly addictive at times.  Any way, I think I will update my progress here on Mondays, and hope you will all try to add something good to your day.  I really enjoy your company, and I look forward to growing old and wise with you all!  What will you do?

xoxo, Mental Mama

Peaceful Rhodes

All my hurts my garden spade can heal.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson