~Exercising, in Groups.~

I have finally realized why "skinny" girls don't exercise with "not so skinny" girls. (And this is not meant to be offensive, merely an observation.)


-Being a "skinny" girl myself, people often mistake me for being "in-shape!", which I am far from being "in shape." Dare I mention the fact that I need to exercise to another woman, who may not be as skinny as I am! The immediate response is "Why do you need to exercise?" Don't presume just because I am 5' tall and weigh 94 lbs that I am IN SHAPE and don't need exercise because, oh my gosh! "You are so skinny!" "Eat something!" "You don't need to lose weight!" 


I need exercise just as much as the "not so skinny" women do! Just not to lose weight; I admit, I am in no need of that! Some would say I could stand to gain a pound or two, but I am happy just as I am, I just want to be more fit! I need cardio, everyone needs exercise. Size doesn't count and doesn't matter.


Stop making us "skinny girls" feel like we don't need to exercise, encourage yourself, don't discourage us! Yeah, I might burn calories faster than you, but you don't know what I do to maintain my size and weight. 


We should be supporting each other as women, not knocking each other down. So the next time you hear a "skinny girl" mention exercise, don't assume..........just support! 

Um, Yoga Anyone?

In my already crazy, hectic life, I've decided it's time to try something new....something I've been saying for years I've wanted to do. And since I have a goal not only to focus on my family and friends this year but also ME (which is honestly a challenge in itself, because I love to give to others,but have always tended to neglect myself) - I've decided to finally take up YOGA. 


Yes, I said it, Yoga. She who doesn't know how to sit still for a moment is going to take up some yoga....to learn to relax, and meditate, and get some exercise in my life. My life is hectic, as I mentioned.....always running from here to there.....mind constantly going, I need to learn to focus and relax. I'm excited as I will be doing this with a friend and her daughters and my six year old son (who did yoga when he was three, yes, three!!) are joining us as well.


I want to improve my life all around. I've never been much into fitness, though my son thinks I should take up running. (Yeah, like that will ever happen! I didn't like running in P.E. in school; there is NO WAY I will take up running now! And the ripe young age of 36!) 


So I am going to squeeze 15-30 minutes of yoga into my schedule (fingers crossed) daily! And maybe I will finally learn to meditate along the way as well (something else I have been saying for years I would love to do!) I have an active mind-like most women do! And a busy life! What with being a wife, and a mom, and working and going to school! 


I have gone out to gather most of the tools I will need to begin this Yoga venture! I'm not joining any class - way too embarrassing! I just simply want to do this on my own, with close friends. And what better way is there to bond with your child, than to exercise! 


It's NEVER too late to learn something new! And I can't wait to get this started! Yoga-expert here I come. (Ok, the "expert" part is really pushing it!)


More to come!








P.S. - So this morning, while on my way into work, I stopped by the Thrift Store (which I do on the rare occassion.) I had hopes of maybe finding an inexpensive yoga DVD, just in case my wonderful plans of sticking with this fall through, I won't have spent too much money! Well, I didn't find a DVD (yet!) but I did find a nice book educating one about yoga! All for the low price (wait, take a guess!) Ok....now I'll tell, $.49 - yes, 49 cents! And it was BRAND NEW! Nice!! I can't wait to get that DVD and get to Yoga-ing! 

~The Skinny Jeans Dilemma~

Some of you may know how fashionably challenged I am. However (finally) at the young age of 36, I have somehow grown the liking of the idea of becoming more fashionable, with my clothes, and my hair, and my make up.

My latest dilemma is with skinny jeans. I, personally, think I look perfectly cute in them.  I mean I do realize that skinny jeans are not just for skinny girls like me.

In my quest to become more fashionable, I picked up a pair of perfect-fitting (and perfectly comfortable, much to my surprise!) skinny jeans. My dear husband however has said I am far too skinny for my cute looking skinny jeans, so I thought to myself, why not take a poll!? I think I look perfectly "cute" - maybe not with my Converse, but with some boots? Like the ones I have on? Or some others?

Isn't fashion also about feeling comfortable and confident with what you're in?

-La Cucina di Gioia!-

So every now and then, I like to think I am a professional chef! I love to try my hand at a new recipe every now and then! (But never will you catch  me baking anything from scratch!) I love food which means I love to eat! 


Tonight I decided to cook up a pan of Chicken Piccata, the bonus to this recipe is that the ingredients called for wine! (Which means, while preparing, I could indulge in a nice glass of white wine! Hey! Who wouldn't sneak a glass out of an open bottle of wine!) 


I made mine without the capers- as I really don't like them at all!! I know they add some flavor, but the look and consistency of then, well, I just can't be bothered with them! And while I read the ingredient list several times, I missed the fact that I needed a whole lemon to slice up, so I could make the dish look even prettier!


For all my Mom's out there, who have so little time to prepare a nice, healthy meal, this one took less than thirty minutes to make! And my six year old absolutely loved it! Plus, it's fairly cheap to make and you will probably have the majority of the ingredients already in you cupboard! If you've never cooked anything with capers, I would recommend trying it out, you just might like it! 


Buon Appetito, as we say in Italy! 

~Celebrating Epiphany, Italian Style

January 5th-the eve of Epiphany and nearly the end of the Christmas season in Italy, as well as much of Europe.


January 6th is Epiphany, the celebration of the 12th day of Christmas, when the three wise men arrived to see Baby Jesus, bearing gifts of frankincense, myrrh, and gold. 


The legend of La Befana originates in central Italy. La Befana is a witch, who flies around on her broomstick, delivering small goodies to children who were good and lumps of coal - literally made out of (black) sugar - to those who were not so good on the eve of Ephiphany. (In my days of living in Italy as a teenager, I saw many a friend get coal in their shoes or stocking.) 


Legend has it that while the wise men were in search of Baby Jesus in the manger, they stopped to ask an old lady for directions. They also asked her to go with them to greet the newborn King. She declined, but later decided to follow them. Along the way, she got lost and never found the manger.


Now on the eve of every Epiphany, La Befana can be seen flying around on her broomstick, still in search of the manger and Baby Jesus, as she delivers small gifts to the children of Italy. Leave your shoes out on the eve of Epiphany for the arrival of La Befana, on her broom. But as with Santa, be sure you go to bed.....as La Befana passes over any homes where children may still be awake. 


(P.S.) La Befana prefers wine to Santa's milk!!! So be sure to leave some out on the 5th of January before you head to bed! ~White wine preferable!

Lesson One: Driving a Stick Shift

What a way to begin the new year! Learning something new....I've begun a list of things I would like to do not only in 2012 but in the years to come. One that's been on the list for quite some time (years, in fact!) is to learn how to drive a manual transmission-a.k.a stick shift.

Today, while out shopping for a new kitchen faucet (in which I/we did not buy) I got an impromptu lesson in "Lola" - our '73 Volkswagen Bus. I will admit that I'd had a few brief lessons before, but it was many many years ago-and they weren't consistent, so when it came time for me to slide on over to the drivers seat today, I felt completely lost.

Okay, deep breath, and another deep breath...adjust the seat...and adjust it again........in driving a '98 Lexus with the fancy automatic, electric adjustments, there are many options to get your seat "just right." In the oldies, with the little handle that you pull and then slide your seat forward as you pull the lever, you have only a few options. So now, I am literally sitting on top of the steering wheel and my side mirror, well, at this point, it's basically useless as I am sitting farther forward than it is!

Honestly I think the first thing anyone should do is just seat in the drivers seat, with their hand on the shift knob - engine off! - and just feel the gears, get used to the shifter. Close your eyes for a moment and just feel it; first, neutral, second, neutral, third, neutral, fourth.....and well, in the VW, that's all you get-besides reverse, which is where we almost headed first! Driving a manual transmission vehicle is like a dance or a symphony.........left foot on the clutch, press down...shift to first, right foot on the gas, slowly; left foot let's off the clutch, slowly...........and so on. When the gas pedal is down, the clutch should be up. Ah, the brakes! Depress clutch pedal and the brake at the same time! Each time you shift, your foot must be off the gas and on the clutch. How many times today did I keep my foot on the gas and shift...hey, when you drive an automatic, letting off the gas means the car comes to a stop. (Yes, even on a manual transmission, the car will come to a stop if you don't shift fast enough.)

I did have a chance to come to a stop - several times - on a hill today as well. Always an exciting challenge, I was a nervous wreck! Thank God we were in an empty parking lot - at least for a little while! Definitely, I rolled back, but seemingly, not so far! Oh the difference it makes when in traffic! I drove home from the empty school lot - about a 4-5 mile drive! I wish I'd had flashing lights on the back window with a sign in lights saying "New Manual Driver on Board, Keep your Distance!"

Admittedly, I think I was less of a nervous wreck while out in traffic (ok - very few cars were out at the time!) I mean, when someone's behind you, you just have to do it! There's not much thinking at that point, it all comes natural. Did I miss a gear in that drive home every now and then, you betcha! Did I roll back, well, not so much! But if you see a short brunette in a white '73 VW Bus, I would keep my distance, it just might be me, out on my second lesson!

And I really really want to thank Volkswagen for creating the Bus with the almost non-stallable transmission! I stalled it only once, and that was because, well, I didn't give it enough gas! Thanks, Volkswagen! You give this girl much more confidence!

New Year......New Things

January 1st, 2012...two-thousand-and twelve?!? Where did two-thousand-and-eleven go? The years fly by, with no consideration for us! What are your plans for 2012? Mentally, I have been creating a list of things I want to do in my lifetime, some are simple and others more complex. I wonder how many I will be able to achieve in this new year?


I am not a believer in making new years resolutions, as a month into the year, they always seem to go by the wayside. The excitement of new years eve is over......we're back into a regular routine of work, family, school, and life. 


Each year should be better than the last.....do something for yourself. Find a new hobby, re-enjoy an old one. Make time for your family and friends. In such a fast paced society, sometimes we get so busy, we don't leave time for the important things.


My plans this year will be to continue to focus on building relationships with my family and friends, as this is most fulfilling to me. I will also be working on my "list" and trying to accomplish as many new things as I can. (Naturally, with my camera in hand!) 


One big goal is to take less photographs, but more meaningful ones! 


**Happy New Year to all! May 2012 be the best year, yet!