Happy Friday-Eve blog buds!
First things first: my DDSD challenge update for yesterday! (How are you all doing on your challenge? Are you hanging in there?) MSP and I did 45 minutes of legs/glutes, Cathe Friedrich style. Squats, lunges and step-ups of every imaginable variation. We draw the line at the lying leg lifts though. I FF right on over that part – maybe if I were wearing leg warmers it’d be allowed. 
Today’s movement will be YOGA because I will be amongst crazy holiday shoppers and KNOW I will need to go to my “happy place” after all the madness.
I really can’t believe that *OMG* Christmas is only 16 days away! Now that my homework assignment is done and turned in, today is all about tackling my xmas list! 90% of the gifts we give have to be shipped out of state so I’m behind this year, BIGTIME.
We did end up getting our tree put up on Thanksgiving weekend, thank goodness. So at least I’ve been able to FEEL in the holiday spirit!
Rascal is such a little poser.
I thought I’d share a couple of my favorite ornaments with you. I love this little ballerina because her “tutu” sways whenever you walk past. Just so pretty. Plus I have a niece who is into dance now, and it just reminds me of her.
All of my Starbucks ornaments are favorites (MSP puts one in my stocking every year). I love the coffee mug topiary.
And the Starbucks cup snowglobe:
This one makes me smile each year too, because it’s SO true – I’m a lucky gal and I know it:
And this next one is my absolute favorite because not only does it commemorate our first Christmas together, but it opens up and inside there is a tiny scroll that we write on each year: how much snow we had, what we did that holiday, what gifts we gave each other. Each year when we put up our tree, we open up the scroll and kind of relive the previous years. I love it!
Do you have favorite ornaments or little holiday traditions that mean a lot to you? I’d love to hear them, drop a comment!
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On a completely unrelated note, here two great things to watch while you are bored at your desk at work today and reading blogs. 
(it’s ok, I won’t tell!)
First, this is one of the coolest things I’ve seen. It’s animated beef stew and it’s just genius! It was an entry in the Project FoodBlog contest being held by Foodbuzz. One of their challenges was to create a video blog post (vlog). I’ve watched this video a few times and it never gets old!
When I imagine how much time it had to take to make that, and how much thought went into it, it just boggles my mind. I got a kick out of it and thought you would enjoy it as well! I think my favorite part is how the carrot tops look like they are taking a bow before they “walk” off the cutting board. So cute!
Another great video is one that our instructor played for us in class yesterday of this 11 year old boy speaking about problems with our food system and it’s not only ADORABLE, it’s also educational. Watch, laugh and learn in the process, then pass it on because THESE are the types of kids we want in charge of our future!
Isn’t that awesome? Did you hear any tidbits that you didn’t know before you watched it?
Have a TERRIFIC day friends! See you next time!
– Shari B. =)
#1 by Julie on December 10, 2010 - 5:37 pm
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Thanks Shari for the compliment, to tell the truth I didn’t feel in the rock star mode at all this week at the gym until today, but it was a great way to start my Friday off!
With that said, I did strength training today and primarily did upper body for a change…God when you keep hammering the same region of your body you certainly feel it as you progress through exercises. One more week of this routine and then a change, woo hoo!
I think I’m going to do the tabata style with some old school moves (mountain climbers, burpees etc) mixed in with the new (bridge on ball, bosu ball). Should make it a little more fun at the gym!
Have a great Friday night!
#2 by Joan on December 10, 2010 - 4:56 pm
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chiming in for friday…today I stretched with Bob then scooted out to cook, serve, cleanup luncheon for about 30 ladies. too pooped to pop anymore today but will double up sometime this weekend.
Have a great weekend!
#3 by Joan on December 9, 2010 - 6:02 pm
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Beautiful tree Shari! love your sbux ornaments and that scroll is a great idea. how fun to remember. we bought a lenox ornament for our first year together, so that’s probably my fav.
yesterday I still felt a bit under the weather but I walked the ENTIRE mall (didn’t find a thing) and at other stores I made sure to park WAY out so… some easy walking.
Feeling much better today so I did warm up/cool down/abs with Bob.
Joan recently posted..Winters All-You-Can-Eat Buffet
#4 by Shari B. on December 10, 2010 - 7:49 am
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Hi Joan! I’m so glad to hear you are starting to feel better – nice job walking the entire mall! Hopefully it wasn’t too busy!
#5 by Cindy on December 9, 2010 - 5:11 pm
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okay, did 35 minutes of high incline treadmill walk and another 15 minutes of upper body weights.
yay!
tonight I’ll add in some yoga (finger’s crossed)
feeling pumped up again!
#6 by Shari B. on December 10, 2010 - 7:50 am
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Yay, Cindy! Nice job making up the extra! Happy Friday and glad you are feeling pumped up!
#7 by Cindy on December 9, 2010 - 10:58 am
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Your tree is BEAUTIFUL!!!
I used to wrap my ribbon around like that before the tree got taller! it’s my favorite decor!
I love your starbucks collection! I’ve never seen them before, I’ll have to go check them out!
I have really struggled with the DDSD the last two days. Tuesday I was EXHAUSTED and I knew I would have to force myself to work out when I really needed sleep and yesterday was a total run around all day so I did som easy stretches but that’s all I managed to do for “formal” exercise. we shopped, and i cleaned, vacuumed, moved bags of things from my closet to the car, baked 3 batches of cookies and everything esle in between. I never sat until after 9pm so I hope that counts.
I am however totally ready today to lift some weights and jog a little.
also I had penciled in to Zumba but hubs has moved the xbox and we are playing around with the where it’s all going to be for now, so that was what I wanted to do and I thought “maybe later”…but later never came and I was too busy running around like a chicken instead.
waaaaaaaaaaaaah (me whinning)
back on it for sure!
I’m off to check out your videos!
#8 by Shari B. on December 10, 2010 - 7:53 am
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Hi Cindy, thanks for the tree compliments! This year I think the SBUX ornament is their clear plastic cup. (not very original, which is different than years past..)
The holidays definitely take their toll on us with all the go-go-go, which is a big part of why I knew if I wasn’t involved in a challenge, I’d get through the month and go, “geez I only worked out 3 times this whole month!”
We’ll have to touch base offline about Kinect…
#9 by Julie on December 9, 2010 - 10:12 am
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Hi all!
A couple nights ago I signed up for the 8k Shamrock run this year, so with that said I decided I had better start jogging at the gym once during the week along with my weekend run.
I jogged for 40 minutes and then had 15 minutes of warm up and cool down! Next week I’ll increase my time to 45 minutes!
Nice tree Shari!
#10 by Shari B. on December 10, 2010 - 7:54 am
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I think we can all agree that JULIE IS A ROCKSTAR!
Go girl! We’re all just trying to keep up with YOU!
#11 by allison @ livingoneday on December 9, 2010 - 8:46 am
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i have been slacking on my DDSD blahhh. i have been feeling sick, and im up against a deadline with cookie orders for a friend’s baby shower. i’ll get better! i love your tree! it is beautiful!! and that scroll ornament is such a neat idea. im off to watch the beef stew video! happy thursday!
allison @ livingoneday recently posted..yikes
#12 by Shari B. on December 10, 2010 - 7:54 am
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Hi Allison – get back on track sister, it’s all good! You can do it! Add in some “double up” sessions and then post them, we’ll keep ya going!