Christmas itself is not all about the gifts. Besides the special one of a savior. However, gifts do appear and I find great joy in surprising loved ones with things they wanted or needed. So today was all about the gifts. I completed a major shopping spree!

That would be the result of 3 hours of shopping. I have to brag that I now have finished my Christmas shopping with the exception of my nephew. Seriously, where in the world can you find model cars?! Moving on…

I didn’t want to brave the mall today, but I convinced myself that I wouldn’t face too much madness with it being a weekday and still the first half of December. I was right. The mall was not bad at all. Pretty empty in fact.

Inside the mall, I only needed to visit JC Penney (because I had a $10 off a $10 purchase coupon I refused to waste) and also Aeropostale (because I have a preteen niece who loves their stuff). I was in, out, done relatively quickly there. Bolstered by the ease of the mall, I ventured on to Toys R Us for the other children’s shopping.

Not quite as peaceful. I think all of us stay at home moms were out in full force. It took forever there. I had to search high and low for all sorts of crazy things (Mighty Beans????). Luckily, I covered the list, besides the danged model car, and managed to escape only slightly flustered. I rounded out my shopping with a stop into Target and Kohls. It took 3 hours of my morning and gave me some cramps, but its worth it to have some December birthdays covered as well as gifts for everyone from Makenzie to the donation present for a youth from our church’s “compassion tree”.

I get more excited shopping for other people than anticipating gifts for myself. Actually, Peter & I don’t even exchange gifts because we will purchase things we need or really, really want throughout the year. That doesn’t stop me from having a wish list though. Hey, there are always things that sound nice. Like the following…

Baby B arriving sometime in the 37-38 weeks pregnant time frame. He’ll be fully cooked at that point…and I’ll be way overdone by that point. Seems like a reasonable wish.

Insanity & TurboFire DVDs. I want. I want. I WANT!!!!

Oh how I would love to have these as part of my at home workout DVD collection to use sometime post-baby. Anyone have any sitting around dusty on their shelves they care to send my way? I’m only slightly kidding.

New tennis shoes.

My current ones are 2 years old. Yikes! I just realized that. I haven’t been motivated to buy new ones when my workouts weren’t as heavy. Clearly that is a necessity. Too bad I have no clue which I would like.

A shopping spree at Trader Joes. I haven’t been in awhile and want to go and stock up. Plus, I still have yet to try their pumpkin butter. I have pangs of jealousy every time I see it on your blogs.

Sponsorship to FitBloggin in May. A girl can dream, right?

• Do you like holiday shopping?
• What’s on your wish list?

Earlier this week, Janetha shared a post that stuck out to me. It talked about the many healthy habits we can adopt. The habits she mentioned covered a wide range and did not limit themselves to eating and workouts.

Not having the option to workout and feeling less desire for my standard dining fare sometimes leaves me with the belief “I’m not very healthy right now”. Well, that simply is not true. I cannot forget the many other healthy habits I still maintain and that matter just as much.

#1 = I listen to my body. The reason I’m not working out right now has nothing to do with laziness and everything to do with taking care of myself. I need rest and I honor that with stopping workouts for the time being.

#2 = I still eat my veggies. I may not eat the same variety and volume as I normally do, but they are still a regular part of my diet.

I make an effort to include some with every dinner and just make sure to choose options I still like. Although, it’s perfectly okay if pizza & Blizzard nights happen without a veggie in sight too.

#3 = I pray. I firmly believe that spiritual wellness impacts overall wellness greatly. I begin every morning with Bible study, devotional reading, and prayer. Then, pray throughout the day as needed. It helps reduce my stress levels and builds my happiness, which are very healthy things.

#4 = I surround myself with loved ones. I have numerous quality relationships – my husband, my kiddo(s), my sister and mom, other family, my friends from church/mom’s group/past/blogging, and more.

Without a doubt these relationships make me a healthier person. They allow me to do everything from laugh to cry.

#5 – Food doesn’t control me. I no longer face overwhelming guilt related to the food I eat. I no longer binge. Food is separate from emotions. I am in control.

#6 – I take care of dental hygiene. Flossing, brushing, mouth rinse washing are all standard parts of my daily routine. Who cares if it comes from fear of the dentist? My teeth are cared for!

#7 – I have good sleeping habits. Even though my nights are not the most restful, I don’t forget the importance of having a regular bed and awakening time. I think keeping that schedule helps me get more sleep than I could otherwise.

#8 – Stretching. Whenever I sit and play with Makenzie I try to always take a few minutes to stretch out achy muscles. I may not be able to work out, but I can still mind my flexibility.

How’s that for a flashback picture? I conceived baby B around that time. LOL

#9 – I vent. I no longer hold emotions in and try to hide them under a “perfect” shell to present to the world. That only led to depression before. Now, I like to think I do a good job at recognizing, pinpointing, and overcoming negativity in my life with the vent sessions I openly embrace. You all know about those.

#10 – I guzzle water. I have a gallon jug in my fridge that I refill every night. I use that jug to refill my Camelbak water bottle throughout the following day. I typically drink at least the full gallon. I love my water and its never a challenge to get in enough H2O.

• What healthy habit are you proud of consistently being in your life?