Raine and I were off to the gym first thing. Us slackers haven’t been anywhere near that gym for a whole week now, citing various excuses not to get up early after our mostly late, late nights.

On the way home, Raine and I were complaining about how hungry we were. So as soon as I got home, I went straight into the kitchen and started cooking this.

This, my infamous salmon and shrimp linguine which will pile back 2000 calories over the 500 we just lost at the gym.

Just as we were finishing up ‘lunch’, I happened to glance up at the clock and noticed that the time was 10:30am. Without a second thought, I told Steev to change the batteries on the clock later.

But it is 10:30, Mom!

… and we’ve just finished lunch?!! Merry Christmas!

See what a blur mommy I am! What a laugh. On that note, I was presented with this very flattering Smile Award by Lisa of Mommying on the Fly. Thanks, Lisa, I know I’m late as usual .

The qualifications are:

1. Display a cheerful attitude.
2. Love one another.
3. Make mistakes.
4. Learn from others.
5. Be a positive contributor to the blog world.
6. Love life.
7. Love kids.

I’m supposed to pass this award to 5 other bloggers but there are just so many blogs that I love reading that I’ll crack my head if I had to pick just five. So instead, I’d like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Prosperous and Happy New Year and Happy Holidays from my family to yours! Have fun. Eat, drink and don’t think. That diet can wait .

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Lisa of Mommying on the Fly tagged me on this random list of 100 activities/things that she’s accomplished. I’ve bolded the ones I’ve done. Being a hillbilly in the city, I’ve been under a coconut shell too long .

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walk to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon (a half marathon)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated Blood, Platelets or Plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (but not the same animal)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

If you’d like to give this list a shot on your blog, consider yourself tagged .

I received two awards recently from a couple of my favorite mommy bloggers. A big thank you go 88dlejrfan88 of Renaes Crafty Corner for presenting me this :

And big hugs to Lindsay of Glamorous Housewife who, in spite of being super-busy with Nanowrimo this month, took time out to give me this award :

I’ve been tagged by My Kids My Why to write 6 random things about myself, and Dad to Two to share 7 things you guys probably don’t know about me already.

Since the tags are fairly similar, I figure I’d just go ahead and kill two birds with one stone. So let’s see how I do with this…

1. I’m somewhat of a tomboy but I love dressing up. Does that make sense? Never mind, it’s got to be that darned schizophrenic in me.

2. When I was working fulltime, I used to paint my nails green, purple and sometimes blue even. The expressions on the other managers’ faces at meetings were priceless - some clearly disapproved (but who cares!), some were driven to distraction, others were plain horrified, possibly sickened and I always got a good laugh!

3. I think I may be addicted to working out, I don’t know, but if I don’t make it to the gym 3-4 mornings a week, I get kinda fidgety. And my hands start shaking and my feet start tapping, nah, just kiddin’.

4. Not a day goes by when I don’t have chillies or something spicy in my meal.

5. I’m one of those wierd moms who have 3 kids but never had morning sickness. Wierd is good then, huh?

6. I bawl sing out loud when I’m driving. Sometimes I dance too .

7. My standard daily garb is tank top and shorts, blame it on the weather, not my sense of fashion .

Let’s see who are the 7 others I can tag:

1. April’s Little Family
2. Tired Mama
3. Glamorous Housewife
4. Peacock’s Nesting Place
5. Geek Mom Mashup
6. Life of a Military Wife
7. Table for Five