4.30.11

On this last day of my month of "balance," I had the most beautiful lesson from my greatest teacher. 


Greg and I made this perfect sunny day a Family Fun Day. We bought a bike trailer yesterday and took it out on the Loveland Bike Trail. 


Of course, finicky Will only let us make it about 10 miles total. Sitting buckled in with the sun in his eyes wasn't really his cup of tea. 


Afterward, we went for ice cream. Will enjoyed his first ice cream cone, which he inevitably let fall on the side walk. The resulting crying was to be expected I suppose. 


We came home and I was beat (I took a trip this morning to Urgent Care for a sinus infection). I lay on the couch and was able to doze for about an hour. I heard Will and Greg playing on the floor in front of me, in and out of sleep. I finally woke up to a Q-tip poking my eyelids. I think Will was ready for mom to wake up. 


As I opened my eyes, I got a sweet kiss on the forehead. 


Mom duty called. I got up, made him dinner (tonight, I believe he ate more ketchup with a spoon than anything else). 


I scrubbed the mud from the backyard off of him in his bath, put on his PJs and it was time for books. 


On most nights I read Freight Train or Snowy Day for the millionth time. 


Tonight, Will grabbed the book that any mom reading this will know quite well.


Love You Forever was put into my hands.

He climbed in my lap, snuggled in, and waited for me to begin. 


By the time the old lady was sick, the tears were streaming down my face, and my voice was pitchy and squeaky as I plowed through the words. 


I closed the book, kissed the top of his head. He hopped down, did a little lap around the room, and came right back to me for a big Mom hug. 


William and his tantrums...his "No!"...his picking up spiders and bringing them to me as gifts...his muddy hands, his muddy everything...his kicking and screaming...his everything that makes him a toddler boy...


...this is all balanced out with the kisses, the hugs, the bedtime stories...it's the balance of the good and the bad, the too much and the just enough, the frustration and the heart-melting love...it's the balance of all that we go through in life personified this evening between a mom and her son.


Thank you, William.

May's intention is...

4.29.11

Today, I balanced...


-bad news with a hug
-a full-blown, lying in the aisle, legs kicking and arms flailing and absolute shrieking Target temper tantrum with beer, cajun curly fries, and ranch dressing (sadly, it had to be a to-go order).
-completing a major task (HOORAY yearbook is finished! Many thank yous to SC and JH for your help with the last few photos!) with leaving the rest of my to-do list alone.
-frustration (children...) with deep breaths (...sigh).
-physical pain (I have an owie) with rest. 
-anger (children...again) with laughter (from different children).


All that out there, today's lesson for me is that I work with the best people around. If ninety-nine percent of job satisfaction is the people you work with, then I'd say I am incredibly satisfied.  

4.28.11

Today I met with the contractor and the designer for our makeover (and since I'm asked daily, demolition starts May 23 and everything will be in place by May 25). 


If you have asked me if I'm excited in the last month, my answer has been one in which I hem and haw and say, "Well...sort of." 


What has been holding me back is the price tag. There truly is no such thing as a free lunch. And since we have to pay taxes to the tune of 30% of the final cost, hopefully you have understood my reluctance to be super excited.


That all changed today. :o)


I won't reveal any of what I heard or saw but ohmygoodnessitisgoingtobepositivelystunning when it's finished!!


I thank the Universe for putting it all into perspective for me--for catering to my visual learning style and allowing me to truly see what we are in for--and also for allowing me to see that the beauty that will be my little sanctuary in my house balances the price. 


I've also been asked about a "reveal" party. 


Feel free to stop by at any time after May 25 (preferably not May 26, as we are going to be dog tired from 72 hours straight of construction) to view the magic that will be our master suite. But we are going to have a reveal/viewing party simultaneously when the show airs in July. Stay tuned...!

4.27.11

In an attempt to balance my classes today and not let one bell get ahead of another (thank you state testing and jumbled bells), I made my French I kids crêpes (for the record, the French pronunciation rhymes with "strep"). Mmm. 


It took 45 minutes to make 21 Nutella crêpes (I could only cook one at a time). 


And I made a mess.

The appreciative mouthful mumbles declaring the awesomeness of a traditional French crêpe (versus the fruity fluff you get at IHOP or Bob's) made the mess very worth it.


As a bonus, I was able to balance out that half-empty jar of Nutella tonight!

My bananas à la Nutella were a delicious way to end this day.

4.26.11

Tonight's post isn't about balance at all. 


On my way home from doing one of my favorite teacher activities (working the track meet), I hit a pot hole.


This pot hole was the same one I heard described on the radio this morning, in the same spot the radio said it was--the same spot where, at 6:30 a.m., three people were pulled over changing flats. 


My heart racing, and panic settling in--because I'm a girl, I'll go ahead and pull that card--I pulled off the highway...into the ghetto. 


Where did I pull off exactly? 


A random drive that led to a vacant lot and had signs posted that said, "Area under surveillance. No firearms."


I asked the lone man I saw standing there (really, this is everything on the "Don't" list in the Book of Being a Girl. That "Girl Card" of mine should be revoked!) if he would help me change my flat tire. 


He said no. 


Really. 


I went back to my car, crying, because I didn't really know what else to do. I physically and mentally lacked the skills to help myself. It was a situation I couldn't talk, write, run, text, email, stretch or think my way out of. How often do you ever really feel completely...helpless?


Every man I know (and most of the women, too) are reading this going, "How have you never learned to change a tire?!?!" I'm sorry to report it's a skill I just never acquired. 


The man pulled up along side me and said, "I gotta be somewhere but," he turned and pointed at a building 50 feet away. "There's a fire station right there. They'll change it for you."


Salvation. Firemen. How did I miss that building and turn into the scary-empty-no-firearms lot? 


Tears in my eyes, embarrassment on my face, four very kind firemen took pity on me and did what firemen do.


They looked incredible as they helped the damsel in distress.


They were so kind, and even rearranged a few tires to make sure my front wheel drive wouldn't interfere with the spare, and other safety things that only firemen would think of. They were very good at not making me feel silly for lacking the skill to change a tire--and I appreciated that above all else.


And then they got a call. 


They were midway through my tire change, and they all looked at each other. And then they looked at me.


They led me to the lounge, handed me the remote control, poured me a cup of coffee, showed me where the brownies were, and said, "We'll be back eventually." 


And there I was. Alone in the firehouse. 


I called Greg, called a friend, and watched the news. I listened for the garage door. I babysat a very quiet firehouse.


Twenty minutes later they returned. They finished up my tire and sent me on my way. I'm sure as I pulled away in my Volvo, destination: East Side, they cracked some jokes about helpless me. 


I'm okay with it. 


The lesson learned here is that I shouldn't panic. In tough situations, there is always someone or something there to catch me. 


Maybe tonight's post is about balance after all.


In a few days, I'll be dropping a LaRosa's gift card in the mail, addressed to four firemen on the west side. I'll thank them for their brain and brawn, the cup of coffee. And for being just, well, kind. 

4.25.11

Things pertaining to balance that I thought about today.

1. I have found that in the last two school years, I rarely take home work to do. No plans to complete, no grading, not a single thing! Thank you working lunches for allowing me to have that glorious balance! 
2. I balanced my easter candy diet today with soup for lunch and salad for dinner. If Reese's Cups didn't go down as easy as water for me, there'd be no need for the balancing. Damn you Reese's Eggs...
3. I had seven Flying Pig runners in my class tonight. I love that so many runners have found yoga to balance out their training. I hope that all my little piggies run fast this weekend in what looks to be a beautiful day for a run!
4. I wish Mother Nature knew more about balance. Twelve straight days of rain only makes for soggy yards and frowning faces. Sunshine would be an absolutely lovely change. 
5. Then again, maybe pretending Mother Nature doesn't know balance is like pretending Tiger Woods doesn't know how to play golf. I will have faith. 
6. And now, it's time to balance out today's play with sleep. To be honest, I thought all day about how nice it would be to go back to sleep!

On a side note, some very nice people said some very nice things about last night's post. I would like you all to know that I am beyond flattered and yet incredibly humbled all at the same time. This blog is as much a sort of therapy for me as it is an inspiration to you. My intentions were to hold myself accountable to growing on a daily basis in a positive way. The fact that you all are gleaning something from it is the best secondary intention I could have. 


And so I say it again; thank you, dear blog reader, for reading. 

4.24.11

I am going to have some yoga photos taken next month, and as I plotted out which poses a.) I can do and b.) photograph well, the most prevalent component is that they are all balancing poses. 

The funny thing about balancing poses is that I often need a support to do them. 

It is said that it is easy to balance on your mat when you have struck a balance off your mat. 

And still...I need a wall. 

If I dig deep into the psychoanalysis of this fact, I think I come to the conclusion that I need a strong support system. I need to feel that I have people around me I can trust, in case I do flounder and fall and fail. But is it a fear of falling? Or a fear no one will be around to pick me up when I do? 

Clearly things I should be working through on my mat. :o) 

In the meantime, I had Greg take this the other day. Yep, there's a wall there. But I think what I love most about it is everything that's in the background. It's a true sense of me finding balance in life--and strength in that balance--in all my roles and all my facets, with my biggest support behind the lens. 

4.23.11

Tonight was the second annual Kauffman Easter Fire. It's sort of become our little German tradition. 


Post massive food stuffing, we balanced it out with a little digestif, a whole lot of calorie burning laughter with friends, and a massive fire, compliments of our 4-months-dried-out pine Christmas tree. 

Fröhe Ostern!

4.22.11

Happy Day to You, Earth.


I spent the morning hugging my favorite friends and yogis. It was a beautiful practice, as we rooted ourselves deep into you, and let ourselves fill with your beauty. 


As I am two-thirds through The Ominvore's Dilemma, I am especially aware of things I need to continue to do, and start doing, in order to best protect your land and waters in my teeny tiny little one human way. 

• My family will continue to compost, and fertilize our gardens and yard with the things that came from the earth to begin with.
• We will also continue to use our enormous recycling bin (no really, look at it here) for, well, just about everything.
• We just joined Green B.E.A.N. delivery, so that we can buy fruits and vegetables at an organic and (most importantly) local level, reducing the carbon footprint and the amount of energy that is currently being used to get us organic foods from California, South America, and other far away places.
• My reusable bags will now go with me everywhere, not just to the grocery. 
• I will continue to assign my World Tap Give Back project twice a year, so that 160 6th graders keeping doing good by picking up trash on the roads and in the parks around the neighborhood.
• Most importantly, I will instill in my own child(ren) an appreciation of and a responsibility to protect your resources.

I'm hoping, dear Mother Earth, that these things will somehow offset (ahem, balance) the fact that I use disposable diapers, drive a car 30 minutes to work each way, and use a gas-powered lawn mower. I confess out of guilt. :o)

Looking for a quick read on eating clean? Click here. Looking for an in-depth look at how our country's food system runs? Read this. 

4.21.11

Tonight's post is brought to you by the letter P.

For "Pillow." 

I hope that my pillow can support and balance my head tonight as I sleep off jet lag and 48 hours of non-stop (although fun-filled and energized...by caffeine) days at work. 

4.20.11

Greg and I sort of pride ourselves on being fairly laid back parents. Will has been a fairly easy tot to this point--tantrums aside, he's been a good eater, good sleeper, more happy than fussy--and I think there's something to be said for the energy you give off and what your kids pick up on. Our energy typically says, "No worries sweet babe!"


Until we go in public. 


As Greg's plane landed from California, I was walking that fine line between "No worries" mom and that mom. 


Oh who am I kidding. I fell off that high wire as soon as we walked in the gymnasium. Balancing act I was not tonight. 


We went to see Will's Auntie VaVa perform in her jump rope exhibition. It was 45 minutes of entertaining Will for one minute, distracting him and calming melt down brinks two minutes...entertaining one minute...meltdown avoidance two minutes...and so on.


I sat on the bleachers, I crouched in the bleachers, I bounced him on my lap, his grandad bounced him on his lap, we clapped our hands, he flailed his hands, we had snacks, we cuddled, my blood pressure rose, my blood pressure fell, my energy exuded impatience and agitation, and Will picked up on every single cue; in between it all we just wanted to climb, whine, flee, and do whatever possible to make me appear to be, yes, that mom.


You know...the one with the screaming kids who interrupts your Target-Starbucks moment of solace in the world. 


And then Will fell down the bleachers. Just one bleacher, really. 


He landed on his rear, but scared the dickens out of himself and then I really was her. 


Somewhere in between ripping jump rope props from his vice like grip and then carrying him with legs kicking elsewhere, we (read: my family) decided it'd be a swell idea to go grab dinner.


I needed a margarita anyway.


And you know how the night ended? With Will on the floor, under the table, holding my various used up Starbucks cards, shopper discount cards, and packets of sweet n' low and splenda, as though he were hosting an underground poker game for himself and the table legs.


At least, in that moment, my energy wasn't one of extreme agitation and on-edge stress.


At least, in that moment, he wasn't disturbing anyone else's solace. 


I give thanks to the netting that caught my fall from this high wire balancing show tonight. I think this act may need work. Then again, I'm fairly certain that's just part of this thing we call "motherhood." 

4.19.11

Love is that hug from sweet Will that lasted from the bottom of the escalator all the way up to baggage claim, and the sweet kisses he put on my forehead as I nuzzled against him in the car. 


Gratitude is being grateful for your parents who sucked the four inches of water out of your basement; took impeccable care of your kid; spoiled him rotten with all kinds of toys, clothes and videos; and are still grinning from ear to ear. 


Comfort is being back in my dog furry bed. 


Balance is not being panicked about the ever growing to-do list for tomorrow, because there is absolutely zero benefit in worrying about it. I'm here in this moment, and this moment is still wonderful. 

4.18.11

Last full day in California.

Greg spent the morning in seminars and sessions for the conference he's attending here. I started out in Starbucks. 

After caffeination, I realized I still had three hours to spend. What's a girl to do? 

The girl goes to the spa. :o) And she gets a manicure and pedicure treatment that takes two whole hours because it's full of massage and oils and eye masks and delicious relaxation!


We spent the afternoon on Coronado Island, and then finding places to take Flat Stanley's picture. (Olivia, my half-sister, sent me Flat Stanley in September. I'm SO glad I remembered to bring him on the trip!) Of course, Stanley HAD to have his photo taken at Starbucks. 

Exhausted from three full days of adventure, we ended up here.

Tomorrow I'll say goodbye to the long weekend of bliss, bid farewell to lazy mornings, spa treatments, explorations, and California sunshine.


But I'll get to squeeze my favorite kid. And it will be with refreshed mom love. And it will be the best hug ever.

4.17.11

One of my most favorite feelings in the world happens after showering from a day spent in warm sun.

The skin is warm to the touch, and you have that energy-drained sleepiness that makes you feel blissed out. 

Today I found that balanced, sun-kissed bliss. A day at the San Diego Zoo and Earth Day 2011 at Balboa Park provided the sun-soaked faces. The bliss came from...

...fish tacos with Greg...

...Gelato...

...And if this guy doesn't represent a life of balanced bliss, I'm not quite sure what would...

4.16.11

Weekend of Balance...Day 1.

Good Morning, San Diego.

On our flight last night, I was reading an interview with Amy Pohler in Marie Claire. A fictitious reader asked the question, "How do you do all that you do?" Amy's response was along the lines of, that question really just sounds like, "How could you do all that you do?" As though that what we do is too much, too unhuman. And since I blogged about that here, I found myself nodding. This weekend getaway is more than just a getaway...it's good food for marriage, healing for my physical body, and balance for my soul. This is how you do what you do. You give yourself the opportunity to enjoy.

So, Starbucks in hand, Greg and I started our day with a Hatha yoga class at Pilgrimage of the Heart Yoga. 

Upon arrival we reconnected with a beautiful soul named Alyssa, a high school classmate that I reconnected with through the power of facebook. It's been thirteen years since we saw her--the hug was big and long. She did her teacher training at Pilgrimage recently, and her adjustments in class were absolutely dreamy. 

We had delicious Mexican (I'm slowly learning that San Diego does not, in fact, mean "Whale's Vajajay" (my Anchorman friends get this) but instead "Really Good Burritos...Everywhere"), hugged Alyssa with heaps of gratitude, and Greg and I headed to Pacific Beach.


It hadn't occured to me to bring a swimsuit on this trip, but I could have definitely sported it today no problem. 

We took advantage of our workout gear and went for a run. Immediately followed by a nap. Jet lag is the worst. 


After an all-organic, farm-to-fork meal at a local eatery, we are calling it a night.


And I'm not lying tonight friends...I really am perfectly balanced. Sated.

4.15.11

And we're off.


In a few minutes we will be leaving for the airport, off for a weekend where I balance my mom role with my wife role. (eeeeeeeeee!! That was me, being excited!!) 


Although Will is very safe with his grandma and grandpa, and I haven't a worry that he won't have the most fun weekend ever, being spoiled rotten, I will not breathe a sigh of relief until we are in the air. 


Because I have anxiety like that. 


My next post will be from what weather.com is calling Sunny San Diego. See you tomorrow friends!


P.S. Congrats to Jamie, Katie, and Felisha! You WON! Send me your address so I can ship you your goodies! After California, of course... :o)

4.14.11

Well, blog friends, I totally lied to you last night.


I did not, in fact, feel completely sated and balanced. 


I was the complete opposite. It was like the worst cover-up in the world for my body feeling like it was going to fall apart right then and there.


I did not realize this until this morning.


Several three-hour naps, four cups of tea, and one trip to the doctor later and I have strep throat...approximately 24 hours before a long weekend getaway to the West Coast with my sweet husband. 


By the time I go to bed tonight, I will have two doses of antibiotic in me, and I should be feeling much better by the morning. At least, that's my intention...


Until then, I'm going to have some more ice cream and nurse my voice back to something more audible than a whisper!


And one final reminder to you readers...I'll be drawing the names of the winners of my first giveaway! The magic hour is tomorrow at noon! If you'd still like to enter, follow the yellow brick road to here! 

4.13.11

When you are balanced, you feel sated.


Tonight, I feel sated.


I wasn't able to teach my yoga class tonight. I've lost my voice for the...third?...time this year. It's sort of fun for the work day. My kids are exceptionally quiet and attentive, and well-behaved for that matter. And then in the evening, it's absolutely no fun. 


I can't talk to Greg, I can't read books with Will, I can't yell at the dogs to stop scratching the door.


And on Mondays and Wednesdays, I can't teach yoga.


A very last minute sub was secured, and I found myself at the studio tonight, with nothing to do but, well, take the class myself.


And so I flowed, a very gentle warm flow. I let healing air pass across my vocal chords. I released the anxieties from the day. 


And then I returned home. Sated. Balanced.


I don't know why I keep losing my voice. In yogic thinking, it could be because I am speaking too much or too little satyam, or truth. I suppose it doesn't have to be actual formed words...it could be my thoughts. 


At any rate, I seem to keep catching Will's colds, and they are manifesting in my throat. My friends who are all about chakras and the like, I'd love to hear your thoughts.


Until then, I will go to bed tonight extremely content and filled to my brim.

4.12.11

How's this for balance? 


In approximately one minute I am going to shut the laptop and crawl into bed. 


Because I need sleep. Because I don't want to be sick for what is sure to be an exciting weekend. Because sometimes you just tell your electronics "good night," and retreat into good old fashioned rest. 


Just a few days left to enter the first giveaway. Find all the details here.


And now I rest. 

4.11.11

I suppose this could get mushy. 


I encourage you to not judge. :o)


I have received several emails from my dear blog readers since this month's intention of "balance" was posted. 


They all say the same thing. 


How do you stay balanced? How do you fit into a day all that you do? 


I do, in fact, work two jobs. I have a kid, a house, three dogs. I work out and run and grocery shop and sit on my butt and watch Family Guy while drinking wine (hmmmm...that seems a little unbalanced, doesn't it? Family Guy and wine?).


In comparison to what women do all over the world, my day is average, perhaps even easy. 


My secret isn't really all that grand. 


It's my husband.


Greg is the best husband I personally could have asked for. He's smart--which balances out my not-so-smart moments. He's funny--which comes in handy when I get overly emotional about things only women and moms freak out about. He's handsome--I especially love him right after a hair cut--and when he smiles. He is my teammate--together we have gutted kitchens, laid bricks, built decks, taken down trees. You can't take down a tree if you don't a.) trust and b.) communicate well with the person holding the chainsaw while the tree is tied around your waist.


Most importantly he will support me in literally anything I could possibly want to do. 


Like all marriages, we have our moments. Each disagreement, each silent treatment, each exchange of words, each stomping off (ahem, these are usually brought on by me, 'tis true) ends in laughter. When we stop laughing, we'll know something is wrong.


I adore him. Plain and simple. I love him because he says things like, "We'll figure it out," "It's going to be okay," and "Let me help you." I love him because he thinks what I do is cool. I love him for every inside joke, every tear he's wiped, and every time he has said, "You're amazing," especially when I haven't believed it myself. 


I have "Oh-my-gosh-I-love-Greg-Kauffman" moments constantly. These moments are generally brought on by a 9th grade chorus memory. I looked across the risers, watching as he sang some combined holiday carol, face in a long "O" sound. I stared. I said to myself, "I wonder if you'll marry Greg Kauffman someday." No really. I did. How cheeseball is that? I mean...hello 14-year-old self, day dreaming of your wedding and walking down the aisle to "Eternal Flame." Thank goodness that didn't actually happen! (The "Eternal Flame" part, that is.)


My heart...my soul...they knew back then what I know now. 


I couldn't do any of it without him. He's my secret. He's how I stay balanced. He's the Superman to my Wonder Woman.


I hope that you, sweet blog reader, have a yin to your yang, whether it be your spouse, best friend, or whomever. We all need a support system. We all need someone to go, "Yep, you're awesome," to keep us going, to help us balance.

nicolecphotography

Don't forget to register for the giveaway here!

4.10.11

Today I taught yoga took a deep breath and attempted to teach yoga to second graders.


Oddly enough, their most favorite poses to do were balancing ones. 


Any guesses why? 


Because it's so much fun to fall out of them! And after you fall, you shriek and laugh and everyone around you wants to fall, too, because they think it looks that fun!


Oh the lessons in the 30 minutes I spent with them...

• Never ever take yourself seriously. College degrees, certifications, credit hours, and classes can't make you fun and carefree. Your positive attitude does.
• When in doubt, wiggle, make silly faces, scream, and laugh. 
• Fall. Down. Hard. Your nearest and dearest are there to pick you right back up.
• If happiness is striking a balance, and it's too much to think about how to find it, then keep going, keep your routine, run and run and run and run and then stop. Deep breath. Ok, keep going. Eventually, you'll find the time to breathe a little longer. 

I have loved and learned from your posts about how you balance. Keep them coming. Invite your friends. It's free stuff! It won't be the last giveaway...I've got more up my (blog) sleeve! Remember, become a follower, then leave your comments on this post here. 

And tomorrow, find a friend, stand on one leg, and lose your balance. Immediately laugh. Repeat as necessary. 

4.9.11

Hip hip hooray for a giveaway! 


What better way to keep yourself balanced this month than with some FREE yoga & pilates gear? 


There are three good-for-your-balance prize packs! 


Prize 1: Pilates Pandemonium (approximately $75 value)

1 pink Danskin yoga mat
1 green Tree of Life Gaiam mat bag
1 Pilates for Beginners book 
1 Pilates for Beginners DVD
Pilates soft cushions (2) and foam block (1), as well as a Pilates band
1 Bottle Gaiam Mat Spray Cleaner


Prize 2: Stress Buster--support your home practice! (approximately $60 value)

1 Gaiam Koi Embroidered mat bag
1 Gaiam green yoga block
Gaiam's book, Health Solutions for Stress Relief
1 Bottle Gaiam Mat Spray Cleaner


Prize 3: Yoga Yummies (approximately $60 value)

1 green Tree of Life Gaiam mat bag
1 Gaiam green yoga block
Gaiam's book, Yoga Conditioning for Weight Loss
1 Bottle Gaiam Mat Spray Cleaner


How do you win? 


First, become a follower of the blog. Then, leave a comment on this post only about what you do to stay balanced. If you are just starting off in creating a more balanced life, tell us what your plans are! 


Feel free to re-post and let your friends know! I'll draw 3 random winners from all the comments posted at 12 noon on Friday, April 15th!

4.8.11

Not all these posts are interesting.


I spent the day with a friend and colleague at a foreign language nerd conference. I enjoyed a terrific lunch. I currently have a family fun run under my belt, in addition to some tots and a cupcake. Oh, and 1 1/4 Killians...no really, the last 3/4 was too much and I had to leave it. Lame. I know. 


I am about as balanced as one could be.


Please blog reader, get out and get balanced this weekend. Do something you LOVE. Not something you just kind of like. Do something that brings you immense joy--let it be a change from what you do on a daily basis. LOVE your life.

4.7.11

Every Thursday night, I morph into my former 21-year-old bar hopping self.

I put on all black, form-fitting clothing, and my most comfortable pair of shoes to dance in. 

I walk into the club, which is a little bright to start. I say hello to familiar faces. I see a group of male regulars, already in place for the night, getting out of their daily grind. And then the music starts pumping through the speakers. The lights get low. I am immediately moving to electronic bass, faster and faster. The song changes. I reach for my drink. I love this one! I start mouthing the words, close my eyes, and get lost in this 21-year-old world. 

Yep, I'm at Thursday night spinning class.

I can't properly express how much I love this particular class. It's partially the instructor, but it's mostly her music. 

I have always been moved more when a song is attached to an event. I would never cry during certain movies if it weren't for a sappy violin in the background. And funerals wouldn't be nearly as overwhelmingly depressing if they would just leave out "On Eagles' Wings." 

I have never felt as spiritually alive as I am when I am in the presence of the music of sweet Luna. 

And my adrenaline never pumps as fast as it does when there's a Britney song pounding in my ears and my legs are moving at speeds I didn't think possible, with resistance I didn't know they could take. 

Aside from the fact that I love the 21-year-old-in-a-nightclub-atmosphere, I sweat it out, pound it out, dig deep and grind away.

I am leaving those classes feeling balanced in a way that yoga hasn't given me yet...in a way that running never did...my experience with it as a novice is that I'm not competing, I'm not training, I'm not doing it because it's what I know and it's easy. 

I'm just 21 again, dancing til I sweat, having the time of my life. 

What a way to end a day.

4.6.11

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I am constantly amazed at what the Universe throws at me when I stop long enough to listen. 


I've been trying to manifest something--something that would be huge for me, that is just within my grasp, but...well, it isn't. 


Yesterday at some point in the car, I think I threw my hands off the steering wheel and said aloud, "Come ON! Just...come ON!" It was the same frustration I would imagine Butler fans felt on Monday night...


Within that hour, I received a phone call and two emails that pushed my thoughts, feelings, emotions, intentions, conversations, doings in a completely different direction. 


I won't stop manifesting. But I will stop long enough to be in awe of the Universe's ability to balance me out, to say, "Yeah, I know you want that, but...you have this. Let's focus on this for awhile." 

4.5.11

Are you a giver or a taker? Or are you right in the middle, happy medium...balanced, if you will? 


I think I err on the side of giver (hopefully my readers are nodding in agreement and not proclaiming, "That girl be crazy! She steals all my energy!"). I give my time and energy to a variety of things that help others--I'm emotionally and academically on my toes for most of the day, I go home and give more love to my family, and on certain nights that love is divided and offered up to my yoga students. Other nights I dig deep and give more energy to a gut-buster work out. I give attention and advice in emails, texts, and phone calls. I really truly feel like I put a lot out into the world. 


But then how much do I take in? 


I accept hugs without question. I'll take a shoulder to cry on and an ear to vent to. I'll take $0.75 for french fries for lunch and gracefully accept your compliment on my scarf. I've become better at accepting help, and even more so at saying "No" to events and people that would take away time from areas of my life I now deem too important to neglect. 


I think most people I know would say they are unbalanced, that they give and give and give. It's almost like they forget how to stop and let someone else give back to them. It becomes a habit to do it all. But is that a healthy habit to maintain? 


Have you heard people say, "All I do is give, and I receive nothing in return." Chances are these people aren't actually giving. They are, more than likely, taking more than they should. They take too much time to whine and complain, to rely on others to fix them, help them, be emotionally available at all times. 


So where do you fall? How can you become more balanced? 


(Again, not an expert.) Start by stopping. Did someone just pay you a compliment? Stop and accept it with an enormous smile. Don't think yourself undeserving. Did you just unload a mound of negativity on someone? Stop and ask them how they are doing, or pay them a compliment. Better yet, thank them! 


So thank YOU blog readers. For reading. For accepting the energy that I put out into the world. 

4.4.11

The most important thing in your yoga practice is your breath. 


It's not about how strong you are, how far your leg can go behind your head, or whether or not you look good in tight black pants. 


If you aren't breathing, you aren't doing yoga. Many will also argue if you aren't breathing, you're dead. 


My favorite balancing breath is Nadi Sodhana, or alternate nostril breathing. 


I teach this to my students to do before they take a test. It balances the left and the right sides of the brain, breathing in energy and vitality evenly to both sides. Once they get over the fact it looks like they're picking their nose but not, they dig it. 


After several rounds of this particular pranayama (fancy pants yoga term for "breath"), I close my eyes and literally feel a lovely oxygen high. Does it make me smarter? No. More focused? Without a doubt. 


Take five minutes tomorrow during the day and breathe. Even if it's not Nadi Sodhana, take the time to just deeply inhale and sigh...focus...balance. 


You can find detailed Nadi Sodhana instructions here. 

4.3.11

Tonight I'm sending to bed a toddler with two skinned knees, a scraped elbow, and bumps and bruises galore. 


Because when you're really exploring the outdoors for the first time in your life, you tend to get moving so fast. Hills make you go even faster and there are sticks in the yard (and holes your dogs have dug during the winter) to trip over (and fall in) and before you know it--splat. That balance is a tricky thing to learn...


I think that most people who live in about a hundred mile radius of my house can agree that today was absolutely perfect. I also think that these people, like me, were savoring it, as though this warm weather is too good to be true and won't stick around. 


Oh what good news it is that it's spring, and April at that, and it will be here to stay before we can say "Memorial Day Weekend!" 


So I'm going to go wrap up this beautiful day, and Spring Break while I'm at it, savoring the perfectness myself. I've got this...

...and this...(yes, leopard print snuggie made the photo)

...and my dearest husband to share it all with. 


I'm feeling refreshed, relaxed, and content. It's sort of the key to this month's intention. I hope that my colleagues are feeling the same. 43 more days kids... :o) 

4.2.11

After a week of being mom (which, by the way, I adored and can't wait for summer), it was time to balance that out. 


I put on my new jeans, some saucy heels, straightened my hair (never happens) and helped a friend celebrate 30. 


Three hours, a few glasses of wine, delicious food, and plenty of laughter later, I'm home. 


Tomorrow morning I'll wake up, drink coffee, and be back to the mom routine. 


But it will be with new energy. And that is precisely what this month is all about.