First off, thank you all so much for the amazing comments, yet again, on yesterday's post.  You all brought a big smile to my face; your compassion and empathy, your kindness and sweet words all mean so much.  Thank you.

So in other news, I am so excited: I just booked my flight to Florida!  Ya!  I wasn't planning on going down this year (financially it just wasn't feasible) but things have changed and I am going!  Yipee!  I'm so excited to spend a week and a day on the beach, wearing sandals, eating at my favourite US restaurant (Chili's) and spending some QT with my parents (they go every year and rent the same condo).

I packed a couple weeks ago and sent a suitcase down with my parents (they drive) so I wouldn't have to (a) lug a big suitcase through the airports (simply a carry-on now), and (b) have to pay additional fees to check my baggage.  Not having to think about packing in itself is a stress reliever (more on what I packed later). 

However, the one thing I am 'stressed' (if you can even call it that) about is reading material.  I love to read (especially on the beach) and am currently reading a book, but not obsessed with it (obsessed in the I-will-finish-this-in-a-few-days obsessed).  I'm looking to you dear readers for some good book recommendations.  Are you reading anything right now that I simply must check out?

I'm on a diet.  Ha.  Haha.  Hahaha.  That is laughable because I don't do diets (you think I have that kind of will power?).  So, I guess I'm not really on a diet, but as I sit here and type this, my stomach is growling despite just eating (cottage cheese with berries).  I am certainly watching my intake since completely over indulging throughout the holidays, and am trying to get back to eating clean.  However, I'm starving.  How starving?  I just ate two Vitamin C pills to drown out of cries of my angry stomach.

Okay, so I'm not that hungry, I have eaten today, and eaten well.  An egg white omelet for breakfast (with cheese and broccoli), an apple for a snack, turkey soup, (10) almonds and the cottage cheese.  Tonight I have plans for grilled chicken (going to use my panini press instead of my oven) and a large side salad with cherry tomatos and low-fat feta.  Are you bored yet?

I wouldn't say this is a New Years Resolution (that's far too cliché), just a kick start to get back into my regular routine.  You see, over the past few months I have been indulging maybe slightly too much.  Not to the point that's it necessarily noticeable to others (is it!?) but it is to me.  And I don't like it.  One bit.  Something must be done.  Also, I'm not really digging the way it's making me feel, and when that happens, it's time to kick your own butt, hence, precisely what I'm doing.

While perusing YouTube the other day, I came across a BodyRock.tv workout they had posted, which prompted me to their site (I had a friend who used to do their workouts and she raved about them).  Sure enough, tight lean bodies, friendly (and likeable) attitudes, and simple (but killer) workouts you can do in your own living room (or at the gym, if you have a membership like I do).  Awesome.  I'm taking one of the workouts (it's seven minutes; pu-leeze, you can do anything for seven minutes) to the gym tonight and going to give it a try after I hit the cardio.  Also, I was able to download the Gymboss interval timer app on my iPhone versus forking out the cash to purchase one, which means no waiting to try these workouts 'properly' and no excuses.

I find I often need some sort of variation, kick-start or newness for my workouts.  Zumba seems to be the only thing I've stuck with consistently (almost three years) but everything else gets pretty boring.  I recently tried Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred.  Phew!  What a doozy.  Seriously killer.  There are three workouts (level 1, 2, and 3) and you do each for ten days before moving onto the next.  I certainly couldn't discipline myself to workout for 30 days in a row, but when I was lacking motivation to hit the gym, it was nice to go home and have an alternative in my living room.  That said, it didn't last long before I was unmotivated to workout from home, so back to the gym I went.

And now?  Well now I just found out that my favourite Zumba instructor might not be teaching anymore (the only time I can actually guarantee I will get my ass to the gym) and I want to cry (dra-ma-tic).  She was there when I started doing Zumba as a participant.  She started out by helping another instructor, she would teach one song a few times, and slowly she would teach half the class until she took over and it became her class.  She's amazing, and I don't want her to leave.  Wah wah.

That's all.  Happy eating.

Monday is back again.  The weekend was good though, so let's hold onto those memories.  My weekend involved take-out times two, moving relatives, an attempted movie, an open house & time spent with my favourite people.  Oh, and and I washed my bedding.  Mmmm clean bed sheets, don't you just love that?

A high light of my weekend goes something like this:  I thought, for a few weeks now, that I had lost my (only) pair of designer sunglasses I've ever owned.  I've had them for less than a year, and wear them every. single. day.  Love them.  I'm not really one who owns much designer stuff either, so this is kind of a huge deal, you guys (after I discovered them missing, I bought the Dollarama sunglasses on my face you see above.  See?  Not owning a lot of designer stuff over here).  

An-y-wayz.

I have been pretty upset since that fateful day I opened their beautiful case to find them not there.  I was so diligent too, always using the case, always keeping track of them, how could I let this happen?!  I searched high and low, but kept it on the DL because I'm ashamed.  How could I lose something so small yet so expensive?  

So Friday night I'm at my parent's place in their garage, and only by fluke was I on the phone and didn't go inside just yet, when I looked up to see my Gucci shades sitting on the a shelf!  What!?  All this time!?  It was like the angels came down from the heavens and sang to me.  Okay.  Not quite, but I was pretty damn excited.  And relieved.  And I can tell you all this now because they have been found.  When I went inside my parent's were all nonchalant like, 'Oh ya, we forgot to tell you they were left here a while back...' but then again, my mom has no idea what Gucci is.