Just in case you needed to hear that.
Hope your day is full of good food and better company.
XO
A Little Thanksgiving Advice
1
Me Vs. Sunday
I’ve always hated Sundays.
For me, Sunday marked the death of my freedom and were a weekly reminder of my responsibilities. Each week I’d dread the eventual coming of Sunday because it marked the end of doing what I wanted to do and began the obligatory chores: laundry, meal planning, food preparation and after a my career change, lesson planning.
I felt like my life was a series of Must-Dos instead of May-Dos.
Each week, I’d mourn the loss of my freedom.
Crazy as it sounds, some weeks I’d start feeling the loss on Friday night. You know, because the end of the weekend was right there, especially if I had a lot of things planned over a weekend. Even if they were fun plans, the cloud of dread hung over my head. A feeling of dread was my constant weekend companion.
So what happened to change my feelings about Sunday?
First, I quit my former career. The perpetual stomach ache disappeared, my insomnia lessened and my stress level decreased dramatically. Nothing like dropping an ill-suited career to bring a person back to life!
Starting my career in teaching was exhilarating and for the first couple years I was running on 100% adrenaline – even on Sunday. Nothing to dread because I was too busy still working. Nothing could stop my perpetual forward motion, except of course, for every single virus that walked into my classroom. Needless to say, I spend the first few years of teaching is a constant state of frazzle or on my deathbed sick.
As my husband told me over and over again (in regards to teaching)- you can’t sprint a marathon.
Three years ago, I started attending the Church of Yoga class held on Sunday mornings at It’s All Yoga. {It’s not really called that, but that’s what it feels like to me}.
90 minutes of glorious yoga community connection: poetry, asana, meditation.
It is a beautiful thing.
Recently, I’ve been attending the Church of Quiet.
{Sometimes not even on Sunday.}
So what’s this Church of Quiet?
The tiny spa in the basement of my gym houses a steam room, dry sauna and whirlpool tub.
{Shhhhhhh, don’t tell anyone. Hardly any one ever uses it.}
Once a week (if I’m lucky) I sneak down into the basement wrapped in my blue sarong I bought in Thailand (I’m modest that way) without my glasses and I get myself a cup of cold water and step into the steam room.
The hot, wet heat rises from the floor and envelopes me into its quiet. And I breathe.
When I run out of water or can’t stand it any more, I open the door and feel the relief of the cool room.
Another cup of water and I go into the dry sauna. For some reason I can’t figure out, I love the smell of the sauna. Laying down on the dry warm wooden bench, I close my eyes and breathe.
When I run out of water or can’t stand it any more, I open the door and feel the relief of the cool room.
After filling my cup once again, I turn the dial on the wall around the corner from the whirlpool.
I kick off my flip-flops and step into the deep, hot water. Letting my head rest back on the tiles, I close my eyes and breathe.
I know it is time to get out and head to the shower when the bubbles come to a rest.
All told this little spa day takes less than an hour, but restores me to better than new.
What about you? What do you do to restore yourself?
Happy Haul-idays Giveaway from Chronicle Books
Dear TGBTS friends,
I love books.
You love books.
We love charities and they love books.
So let’s try to win this thing, shall we?
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Here’s how it works.
I post my my whole list favorite Chronicle Books here.
I tell you about the charity I’d like to donate to and why.
You comment, we tweet, we (hopefully) win.
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My charity is my favorite branch of the Sacramento Public Library – Ella K. McClatchy.
I choose this branch because it is my home away from home and could always use more new books. McClatchy truly serves as a community meeting place and I hope to help it grow its collection.
Is this a good time to tell you ONE LUCKY COMMENTER also wins my book list?
Say whaa?
Yep, one of YOU wins the whole lot.
Plus my charity wins $500 in books of their choice.
Sounds good, huh?
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A select few BOOKS!
The complete list is HERE.
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In order to be eligible to win my haul of books, please click on the whole list above and leave a comment about which book is your favorite and why.
Are you on Twitter? Please tweet about my our list using the hashtag #happyhaulidays and we get an extra entry per day. So be sure to tweet away every day!
Good luck to all of us!
And the Winner Is….
Thank you to all of you who entered to win the beautiful silk scarf from Spirit House Designs and shopped at the presale yesterday.
The winner is…..
Jenna!
She writes This Is My Happiness – one of my favorite travel blogs.
We’ll be sending out your warm tone scarf.
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Still want a scarf to call your own?
Alicia will be selling her work at the Davis Art Center Holiday Sale this first weekend in December.
Be sure to “like” Spirit House Designs on Facebook to keep up with Alicia’s work.
Saturday Senses
A way to capture the spirit of each week…
tasting :: roasted root vegetables. {god, i love fall food.}
hearing :: rhett miller’s new record – for free.
smelling :: brand new library books.
seeing :: my sanity directly affected my the amount of uninterrupted sleep i’ve gotten the night before. thank goodness we don’t have a new-born or i’d need to go to the nervous hospital.
feeling :: l.o.v.e.d. – today is my 11th wedding anniversary.
ps this is our only framed wedding picture.
i have my “i’m drunk and 30 face” on.
no, i wasn’t drunk.
just 30.
wishing/hoping :: wishing my sweetheart a very happy anniversary and hoping everyone and their grandma comes to alicia’s presale and completes their holiday shopping while helping a great cause.
What about you?
What are your senses this Saturday?
Looking back, how was your week?
Leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’d seriously love to hear about your week. Now’s not the time to be shy.
This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.
Don’t forget to click the links!
43 Things Before 43
{via}
For months I’ve been reading about other people’s Life Lists and wondering if I could ever make one without driving myself crazy with all the achieving and in-my-head competition.
Would my list be cool enough?
Would I really do everything I said I would?
What huge adventures await?
Inspired by Rosie’s birthday list, Sarah’s try new things before her birthday list and Amy’s Life List, I’ve decided to put together a list of things I would like to do before I turn 43.
Why 43 instead of 42?
My birthday is in 4 months and I don’t want to hurt myself getting it all done before then. My list is l-o-n-g, makes me think I needed to start this thing in my 20s.
My intention with this list is to remind myself to have more fun, take care of myself and to do things out of the ordinary.
I’ll keep you posted on my progress.
The List:
1. Take my birthday (March 20th) off – no work, no obligations – just fun.
2. Take an anti-gravity yoga class.
3. Road trip to Portland with Ruby.
4. Take Ruby to see live music.
5. Read 43 books.
6. Put my feet in the ocean with Ruby.
7. Pick berries.
8. Go on retreat.
9. Teach an active yoga class.
10. Go to the movies by myself. {Yep, I’ve never done this. I have, however, gone to a rock show on my own so don’t feel too sorry for me.}
11. Attend a service at a Universal Unitarian church.
12. Explore the Taiwanese culture in Sacramento.
13. Learn 10 words/phrases in Mandarin.
14. Run a 5K.
15. Write a fan letter.
16. Rent a house at the coast or in the mountains.
17. Teach a class on social media and blogging to teachers.
18. Sleep outside.
19. Do a swim workout.
20. Watch my first students graduate from high school.
21. Spend a week away from the Internet.
22. See a play.
23. Go to a sing along at the Crest.
24. Take a photography class.
25. Take a cooking class.
26. Take a private yoga class.
27. Actually make something I’ve pinned on Pinterest.
28. Go to the ballet.
29. Have a family portrait taken.
30. Watch a movie outside in the backyard.
31. Take Ruby on a hike.
32. Help a friend start a blog.
33. Build an outdoor shower.
34. Make a wall of bookshelves in the dining room.
35. Redesign the entryway and make it pretty and useful.
36. Start a mom/play group in Midtown.
37. Teach a class at my gym.
38. Organize the pantry.
39. Get rid of all the shoes I don’t wear because they are uncomfortable.
40. Take a nap in a hammock.
41. Host a baby shower.
42. Take a photo every day.
43. Make the Book of Me into a book.
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Do you make yearly plans? A Life List? Would you like to?
I’d love to hear about yours.
And I’d love for you to join me in making my list a reality. Please let me know if you’d like to do any of my 43 with me.
The Interpreter – Rhett Miller
A Thanksgiving treat?
An early Christmas gift?
On The Interpreter Rhett covers some of my all time favorite songs: American Girl, California Stars, Wave of Mutilation, Waterloo Sunset and a bunch of other songs that sound awesome.
Maybe he covered your favorites too.
To hear the whole album before it comes out on Tuesday, November 22nd – click here.
In other news, the best husband in the WHOLE WORLD said I may be able to go to see Rhett in San Francisco at the end of the month.
A Thanksgiving Miracle?
Those exist, don’t they?
Anyone want to join me?
It’s My Lucky Day!
{via}
The other day Katy from the Non-Consumer Advocate wrote about a new program through the Portland Public Library called Lucky Day and I was feeling jealous.
Just walk into your neighborhood branch and pick a brand new popular title off the shelf and check it out without the endless hold list? Of course those kinds of programs happen in Portland.
<imagine whiny voice here> I wish we had a cool program like this in Sacramento.
Well, imagine my surprise when I went to the McClatchy branch of the library today (to get myself out of library fine jail) when I looked up and saw a shelf with Lucky Day books.
I now have three weeks to read these two titles:
Extreme motherhood and a yoga book I’ve had my eye on for months.
Yay me!
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What new books have you read that I should keep my eye on?
Have you had a lucky day recently?
TGBTS Recipe Edition! Best Damn Granola – EVER {Guest Post!}
Our return from Taiwan was even sweeter because of how our dear friends took care of our food needs. Vanessa was one of our many friends who kept us well-fed in those first few blurry, jet-lagged weeks.
Here’s Vanessa to share the recipe for the best damn granola ever.
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With the news that the newest member of the Hackbarth-Brewer household would soon be arriving, loved ones couldn’t wait to stock the family with all things baby: clothes, toys, books, furniture, good wishes, advice. And food. Lots of it! Every new family needs it, but in the first few weeks with a new baby, who has time to chop carrots when there are songs to be learned and long walks to be taken?
Tami’s fellow yogi, Madeleine, rallied friends to sign up on Mealtrain, a website that helps organize meal-making and delivery. Safe home from Taiwan with Sacramento’s newest resident in tow, Tami and Jed began receiving deliveries of hot, nourishing meals from friends eager to feed them lentil soup, black bean soup, chicken soup, hearty chili– all foods to fuel the new parents through jet lag and diaper changes and a new life with the sweet babe.
I couldn’t wait to get in on the action, but living more than an hour away, I wasn’t going to be able to casually drop off a casserole. So I looked toward less perishable options and immediately thought of one of my favorite recipes, a slightly tweaked version of the very best granola ever, which is handmade by Early Bird Foods in Brooklyn. It’s a delicious play of sweet against salty, made luscious by a generous hit of olive oil. There’s plenty of room to adjust the ingredients to your taste by, say, leaving out the sunflower seeds and adding in a cup of chopped almonds instead. If you want to add in dried fruit like currants or chopped apricots, wait for the last 20 minutes of cooking so they don’t get too dried out.
You might look at the amount of olive oil, maple syrup, and brown sugar and think you can save a few calories or fat grams by using less, but don’t do that. Their proportion (along with the salt) is what gives the granola its magical addictiveness. Eat the granola with yogurt or milk or as an ice cream topping, or do what Tami does and use it to top cooked apples. Usually I just eat it by the handful, pausing occasionally to lick the salt off my fingers.
Ruby (and Tami) helped me whip up another batch of granola this week. From the looks of it, I’d say there’s a new cook in the family!
Bon appétit to Ruby and her mom and dad!
Welcome Home Granola
3 cups rolled oats (not baby oats or the quick-cooking kind)
1 cup raw, shelled sunflower seeds
1 cup raw, shelled pumpkin seeds (also known as pepitas)
1 1/4 cups coconut flakes (the thick, wide ones, sometimes called coconut chips)
1 1/4 cups raw, chopped pecans
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (something bold and fruity is preferable)
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup pure maple syrup (any grade is fine so long as it’s real maple syrup)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup raw cocoa nibs
Preheat oven to 325ºF.
Combine all the ingredients except the cocoa nibs in a large bowl and mix them together to coat everything evenly. Spread the granola out on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 40-50 minutes, carefully stirring the granola every 10 minutes; pay special attention to keep the edges from burning. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, stir in the cocoa nibs.
The granola should be uniformly light brown when it is done. Remove from oven and allow to cool thoroughly. Taste and add a little more salt if you like. Store in an airtight container.
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Questions? Comments? Love for V3 or me?
Do you have any recipes or favorite {dairy free} foods to share?
Talk Free Tuesday
Mama’s Most Used Nap Time Apps and A Request for Your Favorites
{image: Google – I so hope to take a picture like this someday.}
In the last few weeks, I’ve found myself with LOTS of quiet time every day. Not the kind where you get things done, the kind where you are pinned under a tiny human who will nap twice as long, but only if you are with her. {And no, I’m not looking to change this. I may later, but now isn’t later}.
While I could use this time to sleep myself, I fear a 90 minute nap would interfere with my night-time sleep.
For the record, I am tired during the day. Everyday. But just the thought of messing up my night-time sleep makes me a little crazy. So I stay awake, one arm pinned under my tiny human and use my iPod Touch.
Also for the record, getting old sucks. I used to be able to sleep anywhere anytime.
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Netflix – Watch Instantly is my friend. I’m watching Twin Peaks (for the first time ) and Friday Night Lights. Do you have any recommendations?
Pinterest – Can. Not. Stop. Pinning. There, I said it. Believe me, I thought this was the singularly most idiotic idea {right after Facebook, of course} and now? See comment above.
Google Reader – I know, not an App, but I am keeping up on my blog reading. Commenting? Not so much.
Words With Friends – Want to play? I’m TGBTS.
NPR News + podcasts – Love me some Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me and Fresh Air and Culturetopia.
Twitter.
Facebook – although I hate it on my Touch. I feel like I am missing everything.
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So if you were in charge of my 90 minute nap time and my iPod Touch, what would you make sure I didn’t miss?
I’m looking for your favorite Apps, TV shows, movies, podcasts – whatever I shouldn’t miss and why you love it.
Catching Up with Alicia Herrera of Spirit House Designs + a GIVEAWAY!
Last November I interviewed my fellow public school teacher, adoptive mom (to be), and owner of Spirit House Designs, Alicia Herrera, as part of my Featured Teacher Series.
Here’s a snap shot of our conversation recently.
What is happening in your adoption?
We are now 27 months into our adoption pregnancy. After the initial flurry of paperwork, classes, and home study, we have been more or less waiting. And, because all of the legal documents tent to be valid only for a year, we have renewed all of our paperwork once, too.
We are pretty much at the “top” of the list for getting an important phone call- the one where we are matched with our child. After we are matched, it will be another 4-8 months while we go through the court system. We hope to have a toddler at home this time next year!
What’s changed since last year?
One big change has happened since this time last year.
The program that we were in (Thailand) basically slowed to a stop. International adoption is dicey in that the process can take so long that policy changes happen mid-process. We were advised by our adoption agency to switch countries if we were wishing to complete an adoption in the next couple of years (yes!).
Adoptive parent requirements vary from country to country and, initially, we had not been married long enough to consider a few other options. Those options were suddenly open to us, including a very good program with a small children’s home in Taiwan.
Having to change countries is a big fear for adoptive parents because of time and money lost. It can be heartbreaking to essentially “start over”. We had to face that fear this year and it was hard for us. More waiting, more money, still no guarantees. We took a deep breath, crossed our fingers, and reapplied in Taiwan.
Are are you still raising money to fund your adoption through Spirit House Designs?
Reapplying meant redoing a lot of paperwork (again!) and repaying fees. In addition, the program in Taiwan is also about $7,000 more, by design, than Thailand. We expect to spend about $35,000 by the time we are finished, which is roughly a teacher’s take-home salary for one year. It is amazing to consider!
What’s new at Spirit House Designs?
Oooh. The thing that I am loving the most this year are the silk art scarves. They have been individually painted, dyed, and then shaped by hand. I added little specks of light and color to make each one unique. They look great and feel luxurious. I put up a tutorial on the blog that shows my favorite way to wear them as scarves, but they are versatile enough to be worn as a shawl, too.
They are such a pleasure to make. Working with silk is filled with meditative moments. Mixing color, paying attention to the fiber’s response, moving slowly, being open to what each piece wants to become… all of these things are done with intention and love. I believe that this attitude is what makes each item beautiful and what pleases the wearer. There is no substitution for heart.
I also have the next batch of nuno felted scarves, flowers, huipil cushions, as well as some gifty felted soap, all of which can be seen first at the open studio at the house on November 19th.
Where is your work available?
I will be showing at the Davis Art Center Holiday Sale and the Davis Gift Mart the first weekend in December. This should be a fun holiday season of sharing both textiles and adoption excitement updates with everybody.
I will also be having a Spirit House studio presale on November 19th, for those who are unable to make the Davis Art Center Sale. From 10 AM-2 PM, the studio will be open and items will be available for purchase.
The studio sale is by invitation only, but all are very welcome.
{For an invitation, simply submit a comment of interest}.
All of the profits from the presale go directly toward our adoption fund.
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Alicia has generously donated a silk scarf to the readers of Teacher Goes Back To School.
To enter to win – please leave a comment about what color palette interests you most: warm tones or cool tones.
Options for Extra Entries:
Subscribe to Teacher Goes Back to School via Email & Confirm Subscription (upper right hand corner) and then leave a blog comment telling me you subscribed. If you already are a subscriber, leave a comment letting us know.
Subscribe to Spirit House Designs via Email & Confirm Subscription (upper right hand corner) and then leave a blog comment telling Alicia you subscribed. If you already are a subscriber, leave a comment letting us know.
“Like” Teacher Goes Back to School on Facebook and then leave a blog comment to confirm. If you already like TGBTS, leave a comment letting us know.
“Like” Spirit House Designs on Facebook and then leave a blog comment to confirm.If you already like Spirit House Designs, leave a comment letting us know.
Tweet this post or share it on Facebook and then leave a blog comment to confirm.
Who is eligible to win?
Anyone with a valid e-mail and a U.S. mailing address is eligible.
When do I find out if I am the winner?
The contest is open from November 13, 2011 until midnight PST on Friday, November 18, 2011. The winner will be announced on November 19th at the Presale. {Need not be present to win.}
You will have 2 weeks to e-mail us back with your home address so we can mail the prize.
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THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.
Thank you to all who entered.
Saturday Senses
A way to capture the spirit of each week…
tasting :: eggplant appetizer from masullo’s. people, i don’t even like eggplant and this was delicious.
hearing :: myself cry when i got headbutted at 4am by my little sweetheart.
smelling :: vanessa’s ridiculously delicious granola baking in my oven.
seeing :: my perspective change
feeling :: discomfort in transition.
wishing/hoping :: for grace and kindness in this time of change.
What about you?
What are your senses this Saturday?
Looking back, how was your week?
Leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’d seriously love to hear about your week. Now’s not the time to be shy.
This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.
Don’t forget to click the links!
Review 11 Things for 2011 on 11/11/11
{via}
Last December I wrote about 11 things I going to give up in 2011.
Seems it would be appropriate today to check in on the progress.
1. Cable TV – we still have it and we’re still talking about how we need to get rid of it. Not because we’re watching too much (thanks, Ruby), but because it is an added expense on our new one-income household.
The problem? We have bad internet and research is showing that good internet comes with cable.
Any advice?
2. My Yoga Journal subscription – gone. Haven’t thought about it once until now.
3. Paring down books and clothes.
I have definitely caught the clothes swapping bug. I went shopping in a store once this year. The rest were swaps or hand-me-downs from lovely friends.
Books have been traded, swapped, sold and donated.
Newest challenge? Keeping Ruby’s books corralled and her clothes sorted and passed on once she’s finished with them. Again, the generosity of friends and family with gifts and hand-me-downs and she has quite an extensive wardrobe.
4. Eliminate sugar, dairy and bread for a month.
I did it and NEVER felt better which inspired me to visit the allergists and lo and behold, I am really allergic to dairy. Not in the my-tummy-hurts-way, but in the why is my nose completely stuffed up way.
I have been dairy free since January (mistakes have been made and paid for) and I am happy to report I haven’t suffered the wrath of a respiratory infection, cold or much more than a mild case of the sniffles since. Seasonable allergies (to every single plant in Sacramento) can finally be treated with regular allergy medicine.
While eating dairy free is a ridiculous pain the in butt, it has made my life world’s better.
5. Cutting out screen time at 8:30 pm.
I did it all during January and I never slept better or felt more refreshed. I kept track of my progress on a Gold Star Chart (like Gretchen Rubin). Simply amazing. I kept that screen time limit all month!
February rolled around and I promptly forgot the chart and the screen time crept right back to bed time. Clearly, this is a work in progress.
6. Clearing out the clutter.
Another work in progress. Jed and I got rid of countless bags of our stuff only to have it replaced with baby stuff. Again, a work in progress. If you know anyone needing baby girl stuff in Sacramento, please send them my way. I will have plenty to pass on.
7. Quit signing up for e-courses and finish 2010’s.
I am still working on 2010’s (a gentle nudge to do so) and only purchased two in 2010. I really liked one (and I still need to finish) and the other was only $12 (totally worth the price).
8. Consistently exercising – making friends with cardio.
2011 has been a good year for exercise. I found my perfect exercise partner and we hit the gym most weekdays during summer break and we’re both exercising (albeit way less) well into the fall.
Cardio is still mind-numbingly boring, however I am trying to make nice with it by walking with Ruby in the pouch and friends by my side.
Want to make a walking date? Leave a comment and let’s set up a date.
9. To stop taking things personally.
It is definitely less of a struggle to do this, but these days I have less opportunity to be criticised. I think. Or I am just too tired and involved with my new kid I stopped caring. Jury is still out.
10. Hire a housecleaning service.
Holy crap! BEST money I’ve ever spent. Plus it turns out the people I know with tidy houses have help keeping it that way. Need a referral? We love Angela, Sally and Elsa over at California Green Clean.
11. We finally became a family.
2011 saw the end of our adoption wait. Ruby is finally home and we couldn’t be happier.
Looking back at the year so far – were you able to let go of what no longer worked in your life? What can you give up going forward?
Letting Go of What Used to Be and Embracing What Is
Today I have plagued with a touch of sadness of what used to be. I’d get up, get ready, go to work and come home and do whatever I felt like doing. Sometimes going to yoga, sometimes watching TV and sometimes talking for hours on the phone with girlfriends in other cities.
I’d also work on school projects and connect with other teachers about lessons for my class and respond to emails from families.
Connecting with others through blogging and social media online and in person were some of my favorite things to do. Who doesn’t love a long lunch or an extended happy hour?
The only thing controlling my time and how I spent it was me.
Even my husband didn’t make a lot of demands on my time. We somehow fell into a comfortable flow of me time, them time and our time over the course of our decade and a half long relationship.
Fast forward a month + into parenthood and it’s dawning on me that I’m not the one in charge anymore. In order for me to meet the needs of my family I need to simply be available to them when they need me. And for now, they need me most of the time.
While I am no longer able to be spontaneous and available to others, I am answering the call of a little dependent person. Something I’ve never done before.
I feel like I am disappointing others because things are not what they used to be and I’m sad to have to let go of my identity of always reliable go-to friend and feel a bit disappointed in myself for not being able to have things like they were.
And yet, really happy to have my new role as mama.
For now – I am increasing my tolerance for other people’s disappointment. {The words of my lovely friend Michelle from Love Wasting Time}
So I am trying to let go of what used to be and embracing what is and trying not to contribute to my own suffering for wanting things to be any different than what they are.
I am hoping this isn’t sounding like a whiny rant or a plea for sympathy, I am just noticing a huge, yet subtle change in my life and thought I would share.
How do you embrace change in your life?
How did you transition into your role as a parent?
A Pain In the Back
source: google images
Yep, that’s pretty much me today.
A couple weeks ago, the pain was between my shoulder blades.
I’m alternating ice and heat. I went to the steam, sauna, soak today.
Massage is scheduled for tomorrow, but man, this sucks.
Pretty sure I’ve got new-baby-back-pain-itis. Or something of the sort.
Have any back advice?
What is your favorite back pain remedy?
Fall Swap Asana!
Women of Sacramento – Swap Asana {It’s All Yoga’s twice yearly clothing swap} is THIS SATURDAY!
Who: You, me, other awesome women looking for new-to-us wardrobe pieces
Admission: $5 and 1 piece of clothing gets you in. Take home all you like. Donations and unclaimed items go to WEAVE.
What: Clothing swap – gently used women’s clothes, shoes, accessories
When: Saturday, November 12th 2-4pm
Where: It’s All Yoga – 21st and X Streets – Sacramento, CA
Will you be there? EVERY size will be represented, so come on out.
Reflection: Our First Month With Ruby
Yesterday during my day long cryfest yoga retreat, I had some time to reflect on my first month of parenthood.
The Good:
Ruby’s laugh – honestly I’ve never hear a sound that makes me happier.
Ruby’s smile.
Her lips.
Her cheeks.
The look on her face first thing when she wakes up – like she’s been waiting for this moment her whole life.
Baby babble: mommomomomomomomom
The clapping.
Licking books.
Giving me a book over and over to read again and again {current favorites: Good Night Gorilla, The Foot Book, I Am A Bunny, and Brown Bear, Brown Bear.}
Pounding the table at meal time for MORE. NOW. PLEASE.
Her high level of enthusiasm for baths.
Pulling herself up using your pant legs and hugging our knees.
Tiny baby feet.
Her Mongolian spot.
Constantly being reminded what needs attention in this moment – sweeping under the bird-cage, turning off the electronics, closing all the drawers – mostly a cuddle with mama.
The Bad:
Worry much? Friends, I am a worrier by nature and since we’ve invited our little nugget into our house I’ve turned the worry dial up to 11 on many a nights. Holy crap – nothing is too small or too big.
The disrupted sleep. The baby sleeps great, but between the worry and the moving, kicking, flopping etc I barely get a wink.
The lack of yoga class. People, yoga at home is awesome, but the community of others? underrated when you haven’t spoken to anyone higher than your knee in a long while.
My body hurts – between the worry, the contortionist sleeping, the picking up and walking around with 17 extra pounds – mama needs a massage STAT!
The Ugly:
One more than one occasion I asked if I needed to brush my hair before I left home. {the answer is always yes. I know, I know}.
The kitchen floor under her high chair.
The front of all her clothes by mid-day. Drool much?
Diapers are disgusting. That is all.
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Thank you for being there for us this first crazy month. We feel so loved and well taken care of. We’re starting to get out and about more and having visitors more regularly, so if you see us around or want to make a date – give us a shout out.
XO.
Today We Rest
The Nap Taker
by Shel Silverstein
No – I did not take a nap –
The nap – took – me
off the bed and out the window
far beyond the sea,
to a land where sleepy heads
read only comic books
and lock their naps in iron safes
so that they can’t get took.
And soon as I came to that land,
I also came to grief.
The people pointed at me, shouting,
“Where’s the nap, you thief?”
They took me to the courthouse.
The judge put on his cap.
He said, “My child, you are on trial
for taking someone’s nap.
“Yes, all you selfish children,
you think just of yourselves
and don’t care if the nap you take
belongs to someone else.
It happens that the nap you took
without a thought or care
belongs to Bonnie Bowlingbrook,
who’s sittin’ cryin’ there.
“She hasn’t slept in quite some time –
just see her eyelids flap.
She’s tired drowsy – cranky too,
’cause guess who took her nap?”
The jury cried, “You’re guilty, yes,
you’re guilty as can be.
But just return the nap you took
And we might set you free.”
“I did not take that nap,” I cried,
“I give my solemn vow,
and if I took it by mistake
I do not have it now.”
“Oh fiddle-fudge,” cried out the judge,
your record looks quite sour.
Last night I see you stole a kiss,
Last week you took a shower,
“You beat your eggs, you’ve whipped your cream,
at work you punched the clock,
You’ve even killed an hour or two,
we’ve heard you darn your socks.
We know you shot a basketball,
you’ve stolen second base,
and we can see you’re guilty
from the sleep that’s on your face.
“Go lie down on your blanket now
and cry your guilty tears.
I sentence you to one long nap
for ninety million years.
And when the other children see
this nap that never ends,
no child will ever dare to take
somebody’s nap again.”
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Today we rest. I’ll be at It’s All Yoga, but feel free to join me in spirit while you are at home.
Also, if you’d like to come try a class during November, send me a message or leave me a comment and I’ll get you a card.
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How are you resting today?
Saturday Senses
A way to capture the spirit of each week…
tasting :: burger and fries (!) from burgers and brew
hearing :: baby sobbing because she got blood taken and the cat crying because he’s lonely. {boooooo}
smelling :: the doctor’s office
seeing :: ruby play with her baby cousins – imagine puppies only cuter.
feeling :: more connected. we got out and saw friends and family this week.
wishing/hoping :: for some restoration at this weekend’s retreat.
What about you?
What are your senses this Saturday?
Looking back, how was your week?
Leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’d seriously love to hear about your week. Now’s not the time to be shy.
This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.
Don’t forget to click the links!
Free Yoga In Sacramento During November
Interested?
All you have to do is ask me for a complimentary class card *** and promise to USE IT during November 2011. It is good for any class at It’s All Yoga, not just mine.
Why am I doing this?
A) Free yoga is good for everyone.
B) The teacher with the most new people coming in to the studio with their cards wins a massage with Kate Sullivan at Anatomy of Massage.
Win, win!
*** – cards are for new people only (or people who haven’t been to the studio in a year or more)
Sorry for those friends and students who already go to the studio. I’ll come up with some other giveaway or contest later.
Promise.
Attitude of Gratitude
On Tuesday It’s All Yoga posted on Facebook:
For the month of November, we’re launching an Attitude of Gratitude campaign. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, you’re invited to dedicate one Facebook update per week to write what you’re thankful for.
We’ll go first: “We’re thankful for the beautiful ginkgo trees in front of the studio whose butterfly leaves will turn their signature golden yellow in just a couple of weeks. (It’s All Yoga Attitude of Gratitude)”
What do you say, will you join us in cultivating an Attitude of Gratitude? Be sure to tag It’s All Yoga in your posts so we can “hear” you. :)
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Well, I misread that as sharing what you are thankful for EVERY DAY. I guess the Twitter #30DaysofThankfulness hashtag seeped into my brain and now I’m in.
Ever since reading Gretchen Rubin’s Happiness Project {3 times!} I’ve kept a one sentence journal. While I don’t write in it every day, when I do go back and reread it I am once again filled with gratitude.
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At the end of the month I think I’ll compile my list and publish as one post. For now, I’m posting daily on Twitter and on Facebook.
Want to join me? Just post to Facebook or Twitter and be sure to tag me.
Happy November!
At Home Yoga Retreat {and Mini Restorative Yoga Class}
This coming Sunday, November 6th, instead of teaching my regular Sunday Snooze restorative class at It’s All Yoga, I am lucky enough to be able to participate in the Emotional Rescue Retreat with Michelle from Love Wasting Time. {Don’t worry regular Snoozers, I’ll be back in the first Sunday of December}.
Check this out.
The purpose of the retreat is to:
• restore
• be pampered
• be in silence
• slow down, tune in, and align with your higher purpose
• reflect on the upcoming holiday season
• give yourself permission to take a day, just for you
A day of restorative postures, journaling, breath-work, discussion, meditation, an organic lunch and the support of a circle of women. Held in the sanctuary of the It’s All Yoga studio.
Sounds good, huh?
Want to join me in this day of retreating in the comfort of your own home?
What you’ll need:
45 to 90 minutes {or whatever you can do}
a quiet spot where you can be alone or with other retreaters
comfy, warm yoga clothes
yoga mat
pillows
blankets
eye pillow or dark scarf
ear plugs
blocks, bolster and straps if you have them {no biggie if you don’t}
quiet alarm
Or if you find this list to be too much, just yourself and a way to keep time.
To begin:
Turn off your phone, unplug your computer and shut off the TV.
Bring mat and all your props with you – including your quiet alarm.
Lie down in Constructive rest – flat on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor hip distance. Knees can be hip width or rest toward each other – whatever feels comfortable for your body. Hands can rest where they are comfortable.
Stay here and breathe normally 10 minutes.
When your alarm sounds, bring your knees to chest and gently rock side to side.
Find your favorite savasana (corpse) position using all the props you’d like. Some suggestions: knees over a bolster or pillow and covered up with a blanket, legs up the wall, a bolster running the length of your spine and soles of feet together with pillows/rolled blankets under the knees for support.
The idea is to make yourself as comfortable as possible so you can just relax. {For more information on restorative yoga}
Stay here and breathe normally for 30 minutes.
Yep, 30 minutes.
What if you fall asleep? You are probably tired.
What if your to-do list is suddenly in the fore front of your mind and you feel as if you must get up NOW? Let it go and know it will wait for you.
What if your mind jumps from topic to topic to topic? Just notice the breath coming in and out of your body and try to watch your mind instead of hanging on to each story.
When will the 30 minutes be over? In 30 minutes.
When your alarm sounds, gently awaken your body. Wiggle fingers and toes, slowly roll ankles and wrists, stretch arms over head and catch a deeper breath and maybe a yawn.
Wake yourself as if you’re sleeping in a really nice hotel and you have absolutely nothing to do.
Roll to the side – and rest – before you use your arms to push yourself to a comfortable seat on the floor.
Write about your experience while drinking a warm cup of your favorite tea and enjoying a healthy lunch.
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Have you ever taken a day for restoration? How did it go? Please share your tips, fears and thoughts.
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The One In Which I Declare I Hate Halloween
Yesterday I woke up feeling a little out of sorts when I realized it was Halloween.
The beginning of the (dreaded holiday season).
I admitted out loud (on Facebook no less!) that I don’t like Halloween and was pleasantly surprised by the agreement from some friends. So happy to not be alone in this.
The scary costumes, the scary decorations, the way-too-old trick or treaters, the slutty costumes and the idiotic drunken behavior – bah humbug!
I don’t get it.
I never have.
Even when I was a kid, Halloween left me feeling uncreative, disappointed, generally let down. Every year I resolved to come up with a better costume, to not be a scaredy cat when the older kids played pranks and maybe finally make it through the haunted house without wanting to cry.
Not much has changed, I still don’t like Halloween.
But then someone kindly offered that I may find something new about Halloween since I’m now a mama and responsible for Ruby’s Halloweens.
Hmmmm.
So grabbed the borrowed lady bug costume and brought Ruby outside for a little photo shoot before the trick or treaters arrived.
Bah humbug begone!
What do you think of Halloween? Celebrate or hate?
Do you ever change your mind about something because someone you love sees it differently than you?
Saturday Senses
A way to capture the spirit of each week…
tasting :: amanda’s fabulous black bean soup {have you heard about meal train yet? brilliant.}
hearing :: baby clap along to momma’s favorite music. {this week: hillbilly deluxe and grievous angel}.
smelling :: pumpkin bread baking.
seeing :: how one night of lost sleep really tears up my brain. i’m so glad i was too tired to post.
feeling :: a bit lonely if i’m being honest. i absolutely love always being with my favorite girl, but i’ve been missing my friends lately.
wishing/hoping :: for more moments of adult time.
What about you?
What are your senses this Saturday?
Looking back, how was your week?
Leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’d seriously love to hear about your week. Now’s not the time to be shy.
This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.
Don’t forget to click the links!
At Home Yoga For New Mamas
In my pre-baby life I read somewhere that only doing yoga in a class setting was like exclusively going places by being driven around in a limousine. At some point, you are going to have to learn to drive if you want to get where you want to go.
Enter the home practice.
Friends, I’m not going to lie. Practicing yoga at home is hard, especially when you’ve been spoiled with excellent teachers like I have.
Where do I start?
What should I do?
What poses do I do?
How long do I do it for?
What does my body need right now?
What the hell does that even mean?
When practicing at home was first brought up in my yoga teacher training I may have actually guffawed. The joke is now on me.
I now have a home practice. I’m pretty sure it looks different from yours or his or hers, but I have one.
What changed?
I started teaching restorative yoga regularly (first Sunday of the month and needing to feel what I was teaching) and getting myself a baby thus limiting my time outside the house alone.
What does my home practice look like?
Depends on the day and what hurts or needs my attention.
Sometimes, like say when my brain is on overload or I’m so tired I can hardly stand it, I simply lay in Savasana (corpse) with Ruby on my chest while she has a nap. Since I usually don’t fall asleep, I just rest and try to quiet my mind without obsessively checking my Google Reader.
Sometimes, if my back hurts from all the constant forward bending and lifting from chasing an active 10 month old around, I will lay in Savasana with a bolster under my shoulder blades while she’s snoozing with Papa. If I don’t have a bolster around I use a rolled up blanket, towel or pillow. When my back is particularly sensitive, I’ll keep my knees bent and feet on the floor to have the stretch be a bit more gentle.
To come out of the heart roll, be sure to roll to one side off the support and rest for a minute or two before using your arms to help you up.
Other times, I’ll sneak in some gentle neck rolls, an easy twist or a puppy while playing on the floor with her
Every so often, I’ll let Ruby lead and we usually end up in Happy Baby.
What about you? How do/did you take care of yourself when your baby came home?
Saturday Senses
A way to capture the spirit of each week…
tasting :: still so many homemade dinners courtesy of our wonderful friends. chicken noodle soup to die for from christine from stinky buddha and her family, sausage lentil soup from ryan from deephomework and his family and chili with quinoa from sarah. this meal train service and our friends are amazing.
hearing :: the baby pointing at me and saying mama.
smelling :: grass and woodchips – ruby took her first trip to the park. the swings were a hit!
seeing :: ruby becoming more at home with us. she is playing independently longer between each cuddle.
feeling :: loved. especially when she rests her little body on me during nap time and gently pats my face.
wishing/hoping :: for more moments of quiet for writing and reading.
What about you?
What are your senses this Saturday?
Looking back, how was your week?
Leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’d seriously love to hear about your week. Now’s not the time to be shy.
This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.
Don’t forget to click the links!
Saturday Senses
A way to capture the spirit of each week…
tasting :: chili, tostadas, and a fridge filled to the brim when we returned home… so many homemade dinners courtesy of our wonderful friends. madeleine hooked us up on a meal train and people keep signing up to feed us.
hearing :: the baby laughing at jed when he tells her ‘no’ in chinese.
smelling :: a clean baby right after her nightly bath.
seeing :: time slow down to a baby’s pace – 2 naps a day? a girl after my own heart.
feeling :: like a mama.
wishing/hoping :: for more patience at bed time. while our girl seems to like to be asleep, she is no fan of the going to part.
What about you?
What are your senses this Saturday?
Looking back, how was your week?
Leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’d seriously love to hear about your week. Now’s not the time to be shy.
This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.
Don’t forget to click the links!
Things To Do While We’re Away
Surprise!
We’re back.
Not really. Auto-post is like magic.
I did want to stop in and say hi and tell you all we miss you already and point out some good internet things to do while we’re away.
As you read this we’re probably completely wrecked in Taiwan after the 12 hour flight which left at 2am + a 15 hour time difference. We’ll be posting occasionally to Facebook and Twitter if we can.
In the meantime, here are a couple of posts until we get it together when we return from Taiwan and to the blog.
Happy reading!
Helpful hints for welcoming a new family home – thank you, Rosie Molinary! We’re looking forward to introducing our new addition to everyone, just as soon as we’re all bonded as a family.
Go look at all the pretty stuff I’ve pinned on Pinterest
Find out more about adoption from Adoptive Families Magazine.
Saturday Senses
A way to capture the spirit of each week…
{via}
tasting :: dim sum for the first time. i went with someone with just as many food allergies as me. no one died! or even had itchy ears.
hearing :: the infectious laugh of jeannie p and the musical stylings of duran duran.
smelling :: a slight hint of fall in the morning.
seeing :: a whole bunch of 40 year olds singing like they were 13 {aka awesome!}
feeling :: by the time you are reading this, grumpy because sleeping on planes is like unicorns for me.
wishing/hoping :: for smooth dealings in taiwan.
What about you?
What are your senses this Saturday?
Looking back, how was your week?
Leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’d seriously love to hear about your week. Now’s not the time to be shy.
This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.
Don’t forget to click the links!
The Answer Is Yes: Song of the Day
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{click the image for more information on the band}
If you are reading this in a reader, click on over to see the video.
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Song notes:
1. Should Duran Duran be required by law to play this song at every show? Yes.
Am I disappointed they didn’t play it Monday night? Yes.
Did I enjoy the sing along in the parking lot after the show? Yes.
2. Did the video editor clearly spend a lot of time synching Simon’s movements to the beat? Yes.
3. Do I love all the cheekbones, defined jaw lines and pouty lips in this video? Yes.
Good god, let us not wonder why I have been blinky about these dudes for 30 years.
THIRTY YEARS!!!!!!!!!
4. Would I very much like Simon to shave off that beard? Yes.
5. At one time in my life did I know all the awesome hand movements of this video? Yes.
6. Do I now find the naked baby in this video strange? Yes.
7. Was I previously too distracted by the high-waisted trousers and fitted shirts to notice said naked baby? Yes.
8. Am I now creeped out some perv is going to find me via that search? Yes.
9. Will I watch this video on replay today? Yes.
10. Do I think you should too? Yes.
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Are you a Durannie? Who did you want to marry when you grew up?
What have you loved since junior high – music or otherwise?
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{Don’t forget to CLICK the links!}
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For other songs that have gotten stuck in my head recently: Previous Songs
The Final Countdown: One Week Til Ruby.
I keep resisting the urge to dwell on all the “lasts” I’ll be having this week. The last Sunday morning yoga class with Michelle before Ruby {so grounding}. The last Duran Duran concert with Jeannie before Ruby {true story, going tonight!}. The last drink at the Shady Lady before Ruby {uh, I guess I need to still make this plan}…
You get the picture.
Next Monday our life changes forever.
We finally meet this little one.
The last few weeks I’ve been feeling really excited and ready to get the Ruby show on the road already – a mix of anxiety and anticipation with a side of exhaustion. Is this what pregnancy is like the last few weeks?
We travel this week.
Try not to be jealous of our crazy trip {or at least what we think our trip will look like}.
We fly to Taiwan late Friday night, experience what I’m sure will be the most excellent Saturday of my life whilst on the plane and land in Taipei early Sunday morning.
Monday morning we hop the high-speed rail and finally go pick up the Rubes{!!!}.
By Monday evening our new little family returns to Taipei.
Tuesday morning we bring Ruby with us for the paperwork Olympics.
Sometime between Tuesday afternoon and Thursday night when we fly out, we pick up our completed paperwork.
As for the rest of our trip, we’re going to let it unfold. We’ll be sure to take lots of pictures.
How do you deal with anticipation?
Saturday Senses
A way to capture the spirit of each week…
{via}
tasting :: chicken salad (with bacon) on rosemary bread from orphan.
hearing :: the voices in my head during my 30 minute savasanas. good god, they are a chatty bunch.
smelling :: paint {watching, not doing. i’m fancy that way.}
seeing :: friends, friends, and more friends. good god, i love my peeps. for reals.
feeling :: ridiculously tired again. i slept through my alarm for the very first time in my life yesterday. is this my body’s way of trying to prepare me for the madness that is our taiwan trip NEXT WEEK?
wishing/hoping :: for fun times our last week before we meet the rubes.
What about you?
What are your senses this Saturday?
Looking back, how was your week?
Leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’d seriously love to hear about your week. Now’s not the time to be shy.
This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.
Don’t forget to click the links!
What Scares Me Most…
Before I got my teaching credential, at my husband’s insistence, I spent some time working as a substitute teacher. One day, while working in a kindergarten classroom I heard a voice outside my head say what, up until that point, had only said inside my head.
YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG.
I paused, looked up from the group of adorable kindergarteners sitting at my knees and made eye contact with the speaker.
Huh?
YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG.
Huh, that’s what I thought she said.
She made some hand motions and gave directions on how I could correct what I was doing.
I turned the book upside down from where it was and like magic, right.
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The important part of this story is the absolute absurdity of that sentence being said to me out loud by another adult.
YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG.
And yet, in the moments right before I fall asleep these days, this exact thought is whispered in my own head.
YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG.
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Apparently, I’m afraid I’m going to do it wrong with Ruby.
In my rational brain, I can clearly see this isn’t true. I know there isn’t a wrong way or a right way. There are just ways that work today and those that don’t. Things that work better for some kids and things that totally don’t work for that kid (and so you stop).
But it’s not my rational brain telling me YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG.
I’m pretty sure this is my inside voice, the one I’m not even clear who it belongs to.
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The other night in yoga class, Michelle, talked about the concept of satya or truth. What is true for your body today? What stories does your inner voice tell you? In other words, what kind of shit talking goes on about your limits or fears?
She said something about how the ego/bully voices are loud, aggressive and mean. The voice of truth is soft and kind, like a friend’s voice.
If you would like to listen (or play with idea for yourself, you can listen here).
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So here’s the deal on the comments today. I’m going to ask for what I need and what I don’t.
What I need: Please share how you talked yourself off this particular ledge – the abject fear of DOING IT WRONG. If you haven’t gotten off there, share that too. Knowing other people are afraid of the same things makes me less afraid.
Or you can simply tell me what scares you most.
What I don’t need: Reassurances that I’ll be a good mama, that’s not the issue, it’s the FEAR I’d like to address.
Things I Hate…
Lots of folks these days are sharing what they love at this moment. Not feeling it today. So instead you get my current bitch list and I invite you add your own list.
1. Bad music which everyone seems to love except me. See: Train, John Mayer, Katy Perry. {heel of hand squarely to forehead}… Oh my god, people, please stop. I would like to listen to the radio again some day. Don’t make me become even more of an NPR nerd or community radio snob.
2. Boobs, boobs, boobs. Ladies, please when in public, keep the girls dressed. Is it really necessary to put on your mascara with just a towel around your waist? Allergic to your shirt? Get ready at home. Also included: too much cleavage when you do finally get dressed.
3. Locker room surprises. Hey lady wrapped in a tiny gym towel, please DO NOT BEND OVER.
4. Crying at the silliest little things. Little tiny red gingham shirt? Check. Adorable mini red double-breasted coat? Check. A hand-me-down wooden rocking horse from a neighbor kid now called “Big Ruby” ? Check.
5. Loud grunting noises from someone’s boyfriend in the weight room. Dude, save it for the bedroom. And while we’re talking, can you stop staring at yourself in the mirror and hogging all the machines?
6. Endless Sun Salutations in yoga class. Honestly, I’m thinking you didn’t want to plan your class and you just want to wear us out. It’s been a while since I’ve been tortured by relentless salutations {thank you IAY’s fabulous “peak pose” planners}, but if this is you and you think you are fooling anyone, you are not.
7. Petty thievery. Did I mention someone stole one of our dining room chairs? Yes, it was on our front porch, but come on. One?
8. Dairy. It is found in most things I would like to eat. Not the over the top slathered in cheese or creamy sauce {although I’m still not against those things}, but in sneaky places like bread, marinara sauce, and other foods you’d think would be cow juice free. Thank god for food labels.
9. My inability to complete a thought or project. Enough said.
Now you. What’s twisting your panties today?
Teacher Goes Back to School 