Happy New Year

Thanks for the memories 2017. I’m not big on resolutions because really each day is a blessing and an opportunity to make a change. You don’t need January first for that. My chance came June 7th. Nothing really significant about that day but it was the day hubby and I decided to change our way of eating and joined the Keto bandwagon.

Now most people hear Keto and thing bacon and high cholesterol. That isn’t what it is all about, although bacon is a perk! I really didn’t expect much I mean after all I had been overweight my whole life. Although I was never one to diet as they really don’t last, I had made a lifestyle change before getting pregnant. My goal was to get back to that weight. Slow and steady wins the race as they say. Well six months later I’m happy to report I’m there. I’d like to think I’m a modest person but gosh darn it, this was a great accomplishment. One I should be proud of, and even more importantly one I got to share with my hubby who rocked the hell out of Keto! I’m so proud of him. A friend asked me if I’m at my goal weight? I’m not sure what that would be. If I look on that list of height/weight at the doctor’s office I’m probably still considered overweight, maybe even obese. But who the hell is 5’10” and 115lbs?? Other than a supermodel of course.

I’ve learned to not worry about that number on the scale. I’ve learned to trust the process. I wasn’t sure wether or not I should even write this post but if I can encourage one person to make a change then it was worth it. I’m not specifically talking about weight loss, it can be about anything. Stop being scared. You have to start somewhere. Why not let today be that start? You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Take the class, go for that hike, give it a shot.

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year. May your 2018 be full of health, happiness, love and laughter! And remember go for it! Whatever is holding you back isn’t worth it.

 

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Roula

A little ditty about Jack and Diane...no really in all seriousness I'm a daughter, sister, wife and mother. I'm a Greek-American, who has transplanted in Canada. As a first time mom I'm sharing some things as I go along.

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The big day is almost here…

Well the big day is almost here.  Santa Claus arrives at our house tonight and we are ready and waiting.  We’ll be decorating cookies for him later tonight.  We’ll be putting out our reindeer food and leaving milk and cookies (if the kid doesn’t eat them all).  Tomorrow morning we’ll wake up, open our gifts and go to church, before spending time with family. What traditions do you have with your family on Christmas Eve?  I’d love it if you shared with us.

FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
Wishing each of you all that the Season has to offer.

 

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Roula

A little ditty about Jack and Diane...no really in all seriousness I'm a daughter, sister, wife and mother. I'm a Greek-American, who has transplanted in Canada. As a first time mom I'm sharing some things as I go along.

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Why are people so miserable during the Happiest Time of the Year?

Okay ladies and gentlemen, I’m ready to tackle the question we’re all wondering: why are people so miserable during the Happiest Time of the Year? If you know me you know that I try to be done Christmas shopping early and hate to even go into stores after December 1st.  With the amazing help of technology I don’t have to deal with the insanity this time of year but the question still begs to be asked.  Is it because people need to find that perfect gift?  Is it because they are spending way too much money, that in some cases they don’t have, to make their children, family, friends, happy?  Is it because the holidays while bringing the good out of people also can remind them that they are in some cases?  Obviously Christmas has become overly commercialized but people have we really forgotten the true meaning of Christmas?

Christmas isn’t about the one, five, fifteen, or fifty gifts under your tree on the big day.  It is about how you treat your fellow human every other day of the year.  And yes, while I as a parent my day has changed a bit as I would do anything to see a smile on my child’s face, I also have been trying to instill in her the idea of giving.  Now she’s not four yet so the idea still needs flushing out but my point is she understands that it is important to help when you can.  She understands that not everyone is as fortunate as she and many of her friends are.  Will this stick with her the rest of her life?  I sure as hell hope so.  My goal isn’t to raise another entitled child that walks along this earth with their earbuds in, staring at their phone, feeling that they are owed something because they breathe.  My goal is to raise a child who will start the toy drive in their school, who will ask to give up something that they have to put a smile on another child’s face and to help where she can.

So going back to my original question, why are people so miserable?  Maybe it is because we don’t take the time to look into ourselves to see what will really make us happy this time of year?  Remember you’re no good to everyone else if you’re not good with yourself.  So as we get closer to Christmas and the end of the year, take a moment and reflect.  What were some wins this year?  What would you have done differently?  Did you hug your loved ones enough?  More importantly did you tell them that you loved them?  Life can change in an instant, never leave anything unsaid.    And when you encounter those miserable people, kill them with kindness.

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Roula

A little ditty about Jack and Diane...no really in all seriousness I'm a daughter, sister, wife and mother. I'm a Greek-American, who has transplanted in Canada. As a first time mom I'm sharing some things as I go along.

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Social Media and Friendships

So it isn’t a secret that 99% of us are on social media.  We’re connected today in a way that our parents never could be.  We literally can FaceTime or Skype everyday with people thousands of miles away and feel more connected than the people who live down the street from us.  You can join me as I go “live” on Facebook or via my InstaStory and be right there with me at my dentist appointment, favourite concert or heck even wedding.  It is crazy if you begin to think that 20 years ago this was not the norm and now this generation knows no different.

So how many friends are too many?  One day I was having a heated discussion with a friend about Facebook and really did they need to have 800 friends?  How many of these people truly had an impact on their life?  How many of these people did they really care about and furthermore how many of these did they actually know? It is crazy to think that so much of what we do is out there for the public to see.  That absolutely is not a criticism on anyone, it is just an observation.  Did we give up our privacy when cell phones became cheap enough that even most 8 year olds have them?  And if so, what are we teaching our kids?  Do our friendships need to be validated by the person on the other side of the screen? Are we giving up our human interaction for a number of likes?

I have had a couple of former friends now who have blocked me on social media.  The first time it happened it bothered me, the second time not so much.  As I was decorating for the holidays I found Christmas cards from past years from these people telling me how wonderful of a friend I was and how lucky they were to have me in their lives.  I’m not writing this to toot my own horn, these were their words.  My question is how can someone so important in your life be shut out without a conversation and by the click of a block button?  Trust me, my life moved on and I didn’t lose any sleep over it but if you’re creeping my blog, as I think you may be, I ask you to look inside of yourself and answer that question.  Has social media devaluized friendship? I truly believe that there are very few people who are meant to be in your life for the long haul. I’m so fortunate to have a few of those in my inner tribe.  I can count on more than one hand people that I have had in my life over 20 years, how blessed am I to say that.  Friendship, like marriage is work.  Not necessarily hard work but you need to put time and effort in to make it viable.  You need to care enough about the other person to make a sacrifice to see them over coffee, wine, or even a quick FaceTime.  You need to invest in your friends because after yourself and your family, they’re all you’ve got!

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Roula

A little ditty about Jack and Diane...no really in all seriousness I'm a daughter, sister, wife and mother. I'm a Greek-American, who has transplanted in Canada. As a first time mom I'm sharing some things as I go along.

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