Where There's A Will There's A Way

Well, my 30 Day yoga challenge is turning out to be the most productive, healthy thing I have ever done for myself.   It's making me actually stop, slow down and take care of myself.
It's bringing me strength I had lost.  Even when I'm exhausted and I don't want to do it, I give in and do however much I can and I am instantly happy and fulfilled.
I  have cut back my time spent on a computer and have instead spent some time reading or just sitting and drinking some tea and not multi tasking (imagine that!).    It's amazing how much of your life goes by when you can't look up for a moment or you don't give yourself that moment to look up.  I thought I didn't have enough time to do anything and even hesitated before signing up for this challenge because there was no way I could find the time.  Then, I stepped back and realized so much of my time was being spent on things I didn't really want to be spending my time on and I really, really wanted to commit myself to this.   What I'm gaining by redirecting my time is priceless and worth every hard, shaking, sore, sweaty yoga pose.

My goal pose...

photo from YogaBarn.net

Some Truths

I am claustrophobic.

I am waiting for myself to do something more creatively.  I'm not sure what this is.  It's nagging at me constantly.  Although, I'm anxious to understand what this is, I must try to find peace in now.  In today.

Being around plants makes me happy... really, really happy.

I badly want to learn to play the piano.

I love writing and although I've only been blogging for a few years, I have been writing since I was a child.    I really want to do something more with this.

I am a homebody and a night in with my family in comfy clothes makes me full.

I am still friends with the girls I went to junior high and high school with and knowing them so well and for so long makes them feel like family.  There is a lot to be said about comfort in friendships.  The peace in not trying to be friends, just being.   We are all different, but we are us.

I am in awe of my son.  His personality, his strength and determination.  I am often surprised that he did not come from my body...almost have to be reminded that at one time we did not know each other.  It's amazing how close and how much love you can have for someone that at one time was a stranger.

I love Africa.  I love the colors, textures, cultures.  I would love to spend some time there with my family.  Pushing pause on our life here for awhile and working with a community or children there.   Just the thought is fulfilling and exciting to me.  I think this should go on my bucket list.

I don't watch scary movies.  Anymore.  I used to all the time and then decided that getting scared when the sun goes down and thinking someone is outside going to kill me every night is a bit much for the ol' nervous system.

Although, we are outnumbered by pets at our house and it's a lot of upkeep and time, I still want some chickens.  :)

Truths. Feels good to let them out and share them.  Any truths you want to throw out there about yourself?

Have a great weekend!

30 Days...

I have always wanted yoga to be a daily moment in my life.  However, life just got in the way.  I'm kind of feeling that in a lot of aspects in my life.  I've been feeling a rush the last month.  A rush to check email, to make jewelry... to spend the 2 hours of his nap time catching up on blogs.  A lot of my time is spent online and although I'm constantly inspired by the blogs I choose to read, between them and the rest of the over stimulation of the internet, I am at a loss of time.  It can all be just too much and then I'm left feeling like I didn't get to it all.

So, I decided to force myself to tune in and tune as much of the other stuff out.  I'm taking part in the 30 Days Mind and Body Challenge.  For 30 days, I am going to practice yoga everyday.  As much or as little as I can squeeze in.  Just as long as I'm present in the moment I am with it.  I'm joining up a day late, but late is better than never.  If you're interested in joining, head over to A Wanderers Soul and sign up.  I recently added in cardio in the mornings 3 days a week, so this is in addition to that.  Right now, I just want to focus on my health, physically and mentally.  It's going to be a challenge for sure.  I have a 2 year old yoga mat snatcher (he's obsessed with my mat!) and he likes to turn yoga into a full contact sport.

However, I.AM.UP.FOR.THE.CHALLENGE.

My favorite online classes are at Yogatoday.com.  They offer one free class a week.  The classes are close to an hour so if anyone knows of a 30 minute online class, please share!

Vintage Valentines

Today is Valentine's Day and I have to admit I'm a sucker for all the corporate marketing of Valentine's Day.  Not the cheesy diamond commercial "He went to Jareds!" type marketing (insert throwing up).

Instead, the boxed chocolates (Vosges - the best I have ever eaten!), Valentine's cards, cutesy gifts, Etsy galore and pretty much the entire Valentines aisle at Target kind of marketing.  I found these super cute vintage Valentine's cards that makes me want to only send vintage ones from now on.

 For the Vespa lovin' Valentine in me.

Hmmm...not sure where this Valentine has been.  Might be the best way to say, "You're not my only Valentine."  ;)

For the multi-tasking, busy girl in me.

I absolutely LOVE vintage owls!

Me and Josh.  xoxo

  If you don't have a Valentine, that's just more chocolate all to yourself!  I am a big supporter of getting yourself your own Valentine's gift.  Happy Valentine's Day to you!

Flowering Tea

The sun came out today!  Just when I needed it.  It's been gray and cold all week long and I was settling in and preparing my mind today with extra layers and a pot of tea.  I was wondering how I was going to get motivated facing yet another dreary winter day.  Although, it's still freezing out that sunshine was the perfect pick me up.
A pot of tea is my go to element to clear my head, find my drive and recenter myself.  For the moment, for the day...for whatever I need it for.  I stopped drinking filtered coffee last year and I love the options out there as a tea drinker.  The smells, the different teas and delicate, antique tea cups I have begun to collect.  My favorite though is the flowering tea pot.  I have a large and small one.
I fell in love with these on a trip to Savannah, GA a few years ago.  Not only do you get the yumminess of the tea (jasmine is quite popular for blooming teas), but you get the loveliness of a little bit of nature and color in your tea time.

Hope you have a lovely weekend!

Frantic February

     Well, February has entered our lives and warmer than usual weather still lingers.  I'm half happy about this because this means we get to be outside more and half sad because this also means Mother Earth is not herself with this warm season.
     February so far has found me working hard on my home life and getting organized...still.   It's coming along nicely though.  :)
     So far this month has also brought me my first mama heart attack.  We had a bit of an emergency last Thursday evening that ended in a mad rush out the door to the emergency room.  Crying toddler in hand, crying mama behind the wheel and a bloody mess on the dining room floor.
     Baby boy had a hideous highchair accident and of course it happened when I was home alone with him.  I had a mild panic moment in swooping him up off the floor and then realized I didn't know where my cell phone was.  It took one second when I saw his head to know we needed to head to the ER.  Panic thoughts swirled through my mind as I frantically tried to pull myself together to handle this situation.  Why don't we have a house phone anymore?!  Why don't we have a paramedic on hand all the time?!  Why don't I have a helmet on this kid AT ALL TIMES?!
     A few hours later and a few stitches too he was doing much better.  I will refrain from posting the photo.  It's pretty gruesome.  It took me well into the next day to come down from the adrenaline rush and now I'm back to gasping when he falls at all.
     Then, as if one mad rush to emergency medical care wasn't enough, the hubby had to make another one last night with little Pablo.  In the matter of 30 minutes, his face started swelling up so bad it was changing the shape of his face!  The only overnight vet available was 35 minutes away.  It turned out to be an allergic reaction.
     I could use some relaxed days, February.    Before the chaos, we did enjoy some outings last week in the sunshine.  I'm going to focus on bringing some more days like this to our world this month.

Happy February to you!