Monthly Archives: December 2012

Christmas Nerves

I have to be honest, I’m always nervous at Christmas.  I really want the gifts that I give to be enjoyed.  Sometimes I struggle to find gifts for family members (and the gifts for my friends that were supposed to be crafted didn’t even get done and I will be giving them in June, I think).  Sometimes I find what I think is the perfect gift and I just hope that the person will like it.  And sometimes I go the “boring” route and go with something I know the person wants.  Sure, it’s not a surprise, but it’s always nice to give a gift that you know will be enjoyed.

This year, I feel like I was pretty successful in gifting, and that makes me very happy.  Obviously, Christmas isn’t about the gifts, but I truly do enjoy the giving more than I enjoy the receiving.  It’s fun to watch someone open a gift and see their eyes light up.  I was especially pleased about my dad’s gift this year (a couple of beer flight sets), and I also found some good gifts for my siblings and cousins (a remake of an old 1950’s card game set for kids that we all grew up playing at my grandparents’ house).  It was fun watching everyone open the gifts.  So it looks like my nervousness was for naught.

Do you worry when it comes to buying holiday gifts for others?  Did you give any great gifts this year?

Motivation Monday – Something Wonderful

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Remember that wonderful feeling of Christmas Eve, where you just knew something special was coming the next day?  I always remember the snow and the Christmas lights and the family and the fun and knowing that the next day would be wonderful and magical.

Try to bring a little bit of that magic into everyday.

Happy Holidays, everyone.

In It For The Bling

I joke that I got into running because of the bling.

But maybe that’s not so much of a joke.

Honestly, I got started because I never thought I could do it.  It was something that scared me and for whatever reason, I needed to prove to myself that I could do it.

So I did.

But let me tell you, the bling is nice.  Some people aren’t into medals.  I love each and every medal.  It’s a memento from a race and each one carries a story.  Maybe that story is filled with pain, maybe it’s filled with glee, but there is a story behind each one.

As of the end of 2012, this is my medal collection.

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It’s not the greatest picture, but I have them located in a place that is hard to photograph.  The medal hanger on the left is all runDisney medals.  The medal hanger on the right is the rest of my medals.  What is sad and impressive is that the top row of medals on both hangers are only medals that were earned in 2012.  The bottom row of medals are from 2010 and 2011.

Because there are so many runDisney fans, here’s a better look at my runDisney medals.  Yes, I put the pins from the race onto the lanyard.

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So which one is my favorite?  That’s hard to say.  The 5th anniversary Disneyland medal will always hold a special place in my heart because it was my first half marathon.  2010 was a year of many physical and emotional struggles for me, and it was the year that I thought I would have to give up running.  So that medal represents a huge accomplishment for me.  But other than that, I can’t say.  Each one is meaningful.

Do you keep your race medals in a special place?  Do you have a favorite?

Things I Love – Healthy Surprise

Before I start, this is a product review, but I have been compensated in no way by the company.  I just really like their product and want to tell people about it.

A while back, I saw a bunch of bloggers talking about the Healthy Surprise Box.  A box of delicious snacks?  SIGN ME UP!  So I subscribed.  I got the Healthy sized box, which is the middle size.  Yes, that’s $66 dollars I’m paying for snacks every month.  I wasn’t sure it was going to be worth it, but I figured I would give it a shot.

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First up, the box itself is adorable.  It’s designed so you can rip the top off and keep the snacks in the box and then use the box for something else.

And everything in the box is packaged well.

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This is a photo of everything that was in my December box.  Those are all full sized products.  The Healthy box guarantees 32-40 servings.  Of course, some of those snacks are multiple serving packages and some are single serving packages.  So that’s why there aren’t 32 items there.

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My review?  Well, this was my third box in a row and I’m definitely sticking with it.  I love all the different snacks that come in the box, and I love that they aren’t filled with fake processed sugars.  They’re all natural, vegan, gluten free, and soy free.  I don’t particularly follow any of these sorts of diets, but it’s not a bad habit to get into.

So at $66, is it worth it?  Well, let’s start out with some math.  This size box is shipped free, so the total cost is $66.  32 to 40 servings.  That means each serving costs somewhere between $1.65 and $2.06.  So… not the cheapest thing out there, I admit.  But I still think it’s worth it.  The items are high quality and much better for me than the 100 calorie snack packs I often rely on.  And I love the variety!

While the price does seem high, I’m not complaining at all, especially after I checked out purchasing some of the products.  One month, there was a delicious nut mix that I loved.  I had gotten a full sized package and they were good enough that I didn’t feel the need to eat multiple servings.  And I went to see if I could find them in the store and not only did I struggle to find them, when I did, one package was $9!  (Each package was 3 servings)  I definitely got a deal with that Healthy Surprise.

Has there been anything I didn’t like?  Only once, and that’s due to my personal preference. I got some crackers that were onion flavored.  I don’t like onion flavorings, so I passed that snack on to a coworker.  But the next month, I got the same crackers in cinnamon sugar flavor.  Delicious.  Sure, I don’t always LOVE all of the products, but for the most part, I’ve enjoyed everything I tried.

I think for me, the variety is a huge selling point.  I have a tendency to eat the same things over and over again.  I have standard breakfast, lunch, and dinner rotations.  So getting to throw in new things as a snack makes my daily meal plan so much more fun.

So if you’re looking to try something new and different, definitely give Healthy Surprise a try.  They run various offers from time to time, so check out their Facebook page for coupon codes.