I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, and didn’t stuff yourself too much (I have made an effort to not stuff myself silly, because I hate the feeling I get afterwards).

You may have noticed we kicked off our Majic Of Christmas music the day after Thanksgiving, and that means it’s also time for our toy drive. All of us at Majic are very grateful to Whole Foods Market and the Assistance League of Austin for their help on this year’s drive.

The holidays are a mixed bag of sorts for most of us. We revel in the joy the season brings, whether it’s the music, opening presents, or the birth of Jesus. But not everyone looks at this time of year with gleeful anticipation. Some of you have unpleasant memories during this time of year. Maybe you lost a job or loved one during the holidays (I lost my grandmother three weeks before Christmas about 25 years ago, and I still think about it). Perhaps the stress of work, shopping, or having to plan the family get-together is getting to you.

I’ve been involved in every single majic Of Christmas toy drive since we started it back in 2001. The thing I have noticed most is how it brings our community together, no matter what the circumstances are. For the families who are nominated, it’s a chance to give their children a brighter holiday season, and the feeling that maybe, just maybe, it’s the beginning of better times.

For those who give, there comes with it the joy of knowing that you have made a difference in a child’s life, even if all you could give was one toy. I experienced this feling myself several years ago when my family and I sponsored the children of a nominated family. Their expression of happiness and gratitude is something I’ll never forget.

This year has been especially tough for a lot of people. But it is my hope that once again, our Majic Of Christmas will touch many lives. If you’re able to donate a new, unwrapped toy, check our website for details on where we will be for you to drop off your donation. If you’re not able to give, and wish to nominate your family or someone else’s, fill out our online nomination form. You can also join us at our gift wrapping party Dec. 19 from noon to 4 Pm at Designer Floors of Texas, 3841 Ranch Rd. 620 South. Just bring your gift wrapping supplies and come join the fun!

Happy Holidays!

Take a classic song and add the Muppets.

One of my favorite websites during the holidays is www. northpole.com It’s great for the entire family this time of year!!  My favorite part of the website is Mrs. Claus’s Kitchen.  You can find delicious recipes for everything but my favorite is the cookie page.  There you can find recipes for 100 different kinds of delicious Christmas Cookies!!  Some of my favorites include, Santa’s Whiskers cookies, Candy Cane cookies and Brown Sugar Shortbread.  I am sure any of these delicious cookies would make Santa happy on Christmas Eve along with a glass of cold milk!!  Enjoy and let’s get baking!!

http://www.northpole.com/Kitchen/Cookbook/cat0001.asp

My 16-year-old son James and I went to the UT-Kansas game this past Saturday night, and wow, was it fun! We try to do at least one game a year, but haven’t been the past two seasons, so he and I have been pumped for weeks about seeing all the rennovations that have allowed attendance to be over the 100,000 mark.

We sat in the upper deck, and James was very happy with the view. Since I’m blind, it doesn’t matter where I sit, but I always try to get the best seats possible for him. When it was announced that the stadium had set an all-time attendance record, James became excited.

“We picked a good game to go to,” he pointed out. “Not only is Colt McCoy going to break the record for most wins in the NCAA, but I was a part of setting the attendance record. Pretty cool.”

It certainly was. I remember reflecting how much I enjoy these father-son events, especially now, as he’s almost grown. He must have been thinking the same thing. “We need to keep doing this, even after I’m grown,” he said. “As long as my kids can come, too.”

“Why, of course they can,” I replied. “I’m all for that.”

James was having the time of his life, jumping up and down, clapping, and cheering at the top of his lungs. He even talked a little trash.

“You smell that, Dad?” he asked me at one point during the fourth quarter, when Texas had put the game well out of reach.

Not knowing what he was driving at, I sniffed the chilly air. “No, I don’t smell anything. What is it?”

“It’s the smell of burnin’ Jayhawks,” he replied, laughing.

1, 600 Calories of Hot Air!!

This is my favorite time of year to go to the movies!!  It seems all of the best ones play during the time between Thanksgiving  and Christmas!  I have always known that going to the refreshment stand meant skipping a meal, I mean I have heard the horror stories about the calories in the buttered popcorn, my favorite movie snack, but I was not prepared for what I found out about those delicious buttery kernels!  I hope you are sitting down as you read this!

At Regal the countries largest cinema chain a large buttered popcorn and a soda is 1, 700 calories!!  That is more than an entire days worth for me and a lot of women.  Not only that, it gets worse, in that popcorn is 60 grams of saturated fat!  That is the equivalent of 3 McDonald’s Quarter Pounders and 12 pats of butter!! It’s the coconut oil!!   My thighs are expanding as a write this!   You can find out more about the calories in other movie favorites like those big boxes of Skittles, Twizzlers and more by clicking here:http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/34023406/ns/today-today_health/

Unless I am with a big group I skip that popcorn now and have my favorite Snapea snacks.  A whole bag is only 450 calories and they are so delicious and good for you! You can find them in the salad dressing section of Whole Foods.

Only 450 calories of yummy goodness in the entire bag!!

Enjoy your favorite movies this holiday season and save the calories for those wonderful Thanksgiving, Christmas and other holiday meals!!  Happy eating!! 

We talked about this on the air this morning and I have received about a half dozen emails asking for more details, or if I could repeat what we said. I love this, Kim agreed, these are words we all have to remember. Send it to someone you know.

8 THINGS NO ONE TELLS YOU ABOUT MARRIAGE

Sure, everyone imagines the fairy tale ending, happily ever after part of getting married — but after the two of you ride off into the sunset — the reality of real life will inevitably come crashing through.

But it’s not a bad thing … Sometimes it’s the least romantic parts of marriage that will teach you the most about true love …

Here are 8 facts about marriage that the fairy tales leave out …

1. You will look at the person lying next to you and wonder, “Is this it? Forever?” No matter how great your spouse is, they don’t make you happy every moment of every day. But let go of that sugarcoated fantasy of marriage and realize it’s a journey filled with equal parts excitement and tedium.

2. You’ll work harder than you ever imagined. Early on, when people say, “Marriage takes work,” you assume “work” means being patient and compromising with one another. As two people grow and evolve, the real work of marriage is finding a way to relate to and nurture each other in the process.

3. You will sometimes go to bed mad (and maybe even wake up madder). Whoever said, “Never go to bed angry,” doesn’t know what it’s like inside a bedroom where tears and accusations have been flying for HOURS! If this scenario sounds familiar, here are three words for you: “Sleep on it.” The truth is that you need to calm down and gain perspective. You need to just give it a rest.

4. You will go without sex — sometimes for a long time — and that’s OK. Don’t kid yourself; no one is doing it as often as pop culture would have you believe. Instead of worrying about how much you think you “should” be having sex, keep the focus on figuring out your own rhythm.

5. Getting your way is not as important as finding a way to work together. When it comes to certain disagreements, there is no right or wrong — there is simply your way of looking at things and your spouse’s. Sincerely acknowledge their point of view, and it’ll be easier for them to hear yours.

6. A great marriage doesn’t mean no conflict — it means a couple keeps trying to get it right. As important as it is to strike a balance, it’s also important to have a big, fat fight every now and then. Because when you fight, you don’t just raise your voices — you raise real — sometimes buried — issues that challenge you to come to a clearer understanding of you, your spouse, and your relationship.

7. You’ll realize that you can only change yourself. Transforming someone else is truly an impossible task. And you will come to realize, sooner than later if you’re lucky, that it is far easier to change the way you respond to them.

8. As you face your fears and insecurities, you will find out what you’re really made of. Many of the deepest frustrations in your relationship are an opportunity for you to confront yourself. You’ll learn to love your quirks and be compassionate toward yourself, just as you’re learning to do with your spouse.

Source: Redbook

I had a fantastic time Saturday night at the 4th Annual Rags To Wags Gala benefitting the Austin Humane Society.  The evening was a huge success, and they were able to raise 25 Thousand dollars in just 2.5 minutes….Amazing!  I was dressed head to toe in Burberry, courtesy of the fabulous Julian Gold!!  My adorable dog was a pug named Olivia and she worked her majic …I mean magic on the audience!!  This years event is over but you can still help Lisa Starr and the Austin Humane Society by clicking here to find out more:http://www.austinhumanesociety.org/

Olivia and I in Burberry. Thanks Julian Gold!!

On a recent trip to the zoo, I tried my hand at wildlife photograpy. I actually reread the owners manual and tried my best for a “Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom Moment”.

This croc is eyeing me up.

What a great lazy life this guy has.

Oh what a life!

The symbol of America!

A true American Original

Nice hairdo.

For our November “Get Fit For Free” segment, Loriana Hernandez and I teamed up with CrossFit Central under the bridge at Lady Bird Lake!  CrossFit Central offers a free cross training class once a month and it is an amazing and challenging workout!!  Loriana and I had a great workout with the amazing team at CrossFit Central, and I must admit I was a bit sore for a few days afterward!!  I loved it though and so will you!!  One of the best parts is that it is absolutely free!!

Check out the video below and this link to Cross Fit Centrals website: http://www.crossfitcentral.com/

Find out about more free workouts by visiting  Loriana’s  “Get Fit For Free” page:

http://www.myfoxaustin.com/subindex/health/fit_for_free

When I first heard there would be no Trail Of Lights at Zilker Park this year, my initial reaction was one of regret. It’s been a while since I’ve walked the trail (my kids were very little then; they’re practically grown now). But we had such fun.

The lights themselves didn’t hold great meaning to a blind person like myself. But I liked walking the trail, visiting Santa’s house, and just hearing the joy in my children’s voices as they took in the whole event.

My, how things change. The tough economic landscape has forced the city of Austin to scale back the Trail Of Lights event this year. When I first read the headline, “No Trail Of Lights This Year” I thought they were eliminating the whole thing. As I read on, however, I was glad to find out there will still be an event, albeit a scaled-back version.

Instead of the 1.25-mile trail in past years, it will be about a half-mile, centered around the Zilker Tree. It will be a nine-day event instead of two weeks, and there will be concessions, concerts, and other entertainment around the event. Parking fees will drop from $15 to $10, and, perhaps the best news of all, it will still be free admission. The city had originally planned to charge a $5 admission to anyone over the age of 11, but they decided to do away with that idea.

No, it may not be the Trail Of Lights we’ve come to embrace as an annual Austin tradition, but it may still be fun. Perhaps times will be better by next year or the year after, and the full event can be brought back. At least we’re still having one.