Stop yelling at me!

I feel like I am a pretty great Pilates instructor. No, wait. I know that I am. I am highly trained, by some of the best in the country. I practice and I research and I stay on top of my game. But.

I yell.

Happy St. Patricks Day from Debby Downer

If there is one thing that I do well, it is ruminating over a completely irrelevant thing, allowing it to make me upset.  This past week, it has been the Irish Yoga graphic.
It has been around for years, it has always annoyed me, but this year I feel like I have to say something.
So, if you don't care or if you personally find the Irish Yoga thing hilarious, go ahead and click on through. 
I will also add the disclaimer that I am a borderline teetotaler and prude. I know this. My idea of a good time is going out to lunch on chicken salad and iced tea. Or if I am out after dark, I like to be home in my pajamas by midnight. When I drink, finishing 8 ounces is an accomplishment. I hate feeling the slightest bit tipsy because I like to always feel in control of myself. I know this is rigid and not "normal" but it's me.
So, here is an example of what I am talking about:

There are t-shirts, memes, real-life re-enactments. Friends have sent this to me. I see fellow yoga instructors, students, studio owners all sharing this, pinning it, glorifying it.

To me, it is not funny at all and actually pretty offensive.  For many different reasons.

1. Okay, so these people drank so much that they passed out, bottles strewn about. Great. They have poisoned their systems so much that their body had no other choice than to shut down to recover. Excellent! Lets make fun of that and also condone it.

2. Think of other ethnic groups and negative stereotypes placed on them. Now make a t-shirt out of it. Or post it to your Facebook page. If you need examples, just let me know. 

3. I will be the first to admit that I am a Pilates instructor first, with some training in yoga. But I am practiced enough to know that the art of meditation and many levels of a yoga practice have nothing to do with drinking so much that you pass out. 

I could go on and on, but I won't. I just needed a place to vent what has been boiling under the surface for quite some time.

I know that my opinion is very rigid and I get that it is a joke.  I just don't find it funny.

It's not cute, funny, or in any way healthy to get drunk. And getting drunk because of a holiday that was started by Irish immigrants in America, to help them band together and have a little happiness at a time when they were treated like second-class humans, is not really that cool. Maybe instead of drinking until passing out we could find something better to do to celebrate the oppressed Irish-Americans of years past. Like watching Gangs of New York in our pj's sipping on kale water.


Am I over the top? I would love to know your feelings. These are mine and I really feel so much better after sharing them. 

And here we are

Wow.
I remember when I was a waitress, after a busy Saturday evening or Sunday brunch rush, looking around the restaurant, after we had closed, at all of the empty tables.  Exhausted, my mind still buzzing from balancing the demands 4, 5, 6 different tables.  It was hard to believe everyone had gone home.  I could relax and not worry who had hot coffee, who needed more bread, and could stop looking out of the corner of my eye to see if food was up in the window.
I very much have this same feeling today.
After a fall and winter filled with continuing my education in many different ways, I am finished.  For now.

A quick break down of where I have been:

• September - Teaching 7 days a week to make myself a little more known in the community and raise funds for my Level III Pilates training.  Also a 4 day trip to Austin, TX for training.  While in Austin I hosted my first #poweredbybits Twitter Chat as part of being a brand ambassador for Energy Bits.  If you have never taken part in or hosted a Twitter chat, try it.  You learn a lot and it is a whirlwind of fun.  I had so much activity that I got put in "Twitter Jail" which is technically a great thing!
• October - Teaching 7 days a week STILL!  Every Sunday in October I had the pleasure of teaching Piloxing at the Kansas City Athleta store SO fun!
• November - 3 day trip to Austin, TX for my second weekend of training.  No more Sunday classes, but picked up quite a few Saturday Reformer students.
• December - Studying for and taking my Peak Pilates Comprehensive exam.  This was about a 7 hour day filled with practical and written assessments.  This was also another 3 day trip to Austin, TX.  Oh, and the holidays!  I also had the pleasure of writing a small piece about the Studio On Main for a local publication.
• January - Began the 5 week FastTrac course for New Venture small business owners.  This class met once a week for 5 weeks from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm.  Because the class fell on a Tuesday, I would go straight from class to work, working with clients from 5:30 pm until 8:30 pm.  A three hour work day doesn't sound too bad, until you add that to the fact that my brain was on extreme overload from all of the great information in the FastTrac course!
• February - completed the FastTrac course!

And, here I am today.  With "just" my regular work week in front of me.  Don't get me wrong, graduating from FastTrac and becoming comprehensively trained are actually just the very beginning of a brand new chapter in my life and career.  BUT for now, I am going to take just a few days, maybe weeks, to breathe.  And do laundry!  It feels great to be able to sit here at home, enjoy a cup of coffee, blog, dust my mantle and scrub the bathroom.

Keep scrolling to check out some of my favorite pictures from the past few months!

Stay tuned, dear readers.  I am hoping to fill the pages of this blog once more with workouts, recipes and wellness tips just like before.  

What have you been up to so far in 2014?

Did you read about how we almost were zapped into smithereens overnight?  It is always fascinating to sit back and really think about how we are just floating along in space.

xo

Sally

Day one of my Level III training!

Hill Country, I miss you!

Walking near the UT campus.

Powered by Bits at 30,000 feet!

Piloxing fun at Athleta, KC!

Finished my Level III exam and took a short climb to the top of Mt. Bonnell.

Barton Springs Creek

FastTrac!

Glitter folders let them know you mean business.

Matching socks for business partners. Happy accident!

Goin' Uptown

I can't help it, I love all photos having to do with airplanes, airports, etc.

Back to school

I so did not plan to take the summer off from blogging.  But, besides just a handful of posts, I did.
Last summer I felt like I had so much more extra time for blogging than during the school year.
This summer, it was the exact opposite.  I don't think I had any extra moments for blogging AT ALL.  It was non-stop running from ball games to fun activities to just getting through the work day.
And, despite how society says I am supposed to feel, I am actually pretty happy that my boys are back in school.  Of course I miss having them at home.  Of course I feel pangs of sadness at time passing so quickly.  But I am also so very happy to have my own time again.  I have had my days of peeling grapes, potty training,  story times and play dates.  I enjoyed them, I will miss them, but I don't want to do them again.  The last couple of days I have wistfully watched parents with small children and realize that that part of my life is over.  It is a bit sad, but it is also very exciting.  I have two big boys that are self-sufficient and now I can have fun with them, talk with them, and enjoy seeing the people they are becoming.  They are also small enough that they still hold my hand, want me to read with them or cuddle before bed and laugh at goofy stuff.  This will be the only year they are at the same school.  It is going to be so fun and I intend to try and slow down and enjoy it as much as possible.

Suddenly Grateful

I was going to blog about how annoyed I was today by people taking up my time.
I'm busy.  We all are.
Today, in particular, I felt the crunch.
I wanted to do cardio at the gym but didn't because I had several post-Pilates class questions.  And I had to go let Ivy out before a rain storm arrived.
I wanted to do Reformer before teaching this evening and had several interruptions in the form of questions from instructors on my staff.
I wanted to leave, to get to E's playoff baseball game, and a fellow Pilates trainer wanted to chat about continuing ed, classical Pilates, master trainers.  Subjects I love but, not at that moment, you know? Several times today I stood and thought "don't you people know what it's like to want to workout?  Or go to your child's baseball game?

But then it hit me just how very lucky I am.  I have people that are waiting to talk to me.  They have questions for me about a subject that I love.  Pilates.  A subject that I have chosen to devote my life to.  They ask me also about injury prevention, beginning or continuing in the field of health and wellness, or some other tidbit that I know the answer to.  And I always learn from them, as well.
So, as I was driving to E's game, just a few minutes behind than I could have been, I turned my annoyance into being grateful.  And happy.  I have people that value me and what I know.


I once saw and interview with David Sedaris.  He is known for staying hours after his readings to sign autographs and greet fans.  He was asked why he did that, when so many other celebrities may sign a few autographs and be on their way.  I do not remember his answer verbatim but it was something along the lines of that he thinks it is so amazing that so many people genuinely like him and want to meet him that he will sit there for hours because what could be better than that?  Than people that are willing to wait hours just to say hi.

I am definitely not at that level.  Please don't think that I think I am.  But, in my world, 3 or 4 people that genuinely care what I have to say is equal to the thousands that care what David Sedaris has to say.  And I think that is pretty amazing.

Junk Food Junkie

Ugh.
I have been eating so horribly lately!
If it isn't a donut for breakfast it has been a candy bar at a ball game or a chicken/bacon/ranch hoagie with fries.  Seriously.  
I still love my fresh veggies and fruits but I feel like I used to eat 80% healthy and 20% average.  Now it's almost completely opposite.
I am still working out 5-6 days a week but it hasn't helped me not feel like crap, because we all know its mostly about what we eat.
I know most people tend to over eat in the winter months but for me I have always tended to have my cheat months in the summer.  Something about ice cream, ball park food, picnics extra time with the kids sends me into a mode where I eat more bad than good.

How have you been lately?  Is it just me eating like a college boy or is it a pandemic?

What do you do to snap out of a nutrition rut?

PS-even though I started the day with a donut and lunched on pizza I am not nibbling on celery and grape tomatoes.

My Vocal Chords are Fine

I have been on the verge of losing my voice for over a month now.
15 days of steroids didn't help.  Which, it turns out, is quite a long time to be on steroids.  My primary care doctor and my Ear, Nose & Throat doctor both said that was a long run.  Thanks, Urgent Care doctor.
Anyway, since I have sounded pretty scruffy lately my pc doctor said I should see and ENT.  And, yes, I do have an ENT of my very own, thanks to the lovely tubes in my ears.
So, I went to see him today to find out if I have nodules on my vocal chords.
Yeesh.  I thought today would be just a chat and then we would schedule something.
Nope.
He sprayed this lovely tasting stuff up my nose, it drained down my throat, and 10 minutes later he was sticking a tube, about the size of a straw, but maybe 2 feet long, up my nose and down my throat.
Good times.
At one point he asked me to sit back up.  I hadn't realized it but I was slowly inching back, like you would do if someone was "in your bubble."
It wasn't a horrible experience, but I wouldn't recommend it just for fun.
The worst part is that, for the last 2 hours, my throat has felt like it's full of glass shards.  I am guessing from the numbing stuff and the scope.
But, he said my vocal chords look great, minus the drainage and tonsil irritation from allergies.
So, it's allergies as the culprit yet again.
But, it is good to know that they are fine.   Using my voice is a big part of my job and this experience has taught me that I need to take care of my vocal chords and maybe try resting my voice more.  If you know JF IRL please help me console him :)

Can I just move into a bubble dome already?  

Have you ever had your vocal chords looked at?

Have you had a surprise medical procedure?

I have a button!

Wow. Just wow. It has taken me two attempts over the last month, both lasting hours, to finally get this whole button thing right. Please, just take a moment, glance to the right, look at the "Grab My Button" widget and admire its beauty. Ahhhhh... Doesn't that feel nice. It is no secret that I am not a computer wizard, but I can usually do okay by using tutorials and such. For some reason this button thing eluded me.

For those of you interested it was finally this tutorial that worked magic for me.  This blog now has my undevoted love and if I could hug a blog, this would be the one!

Let's take a closer look:

Eeek!  Gorgeous!  I would say it is nearly as thrilling as looking at my boys baby pictures.
Take that HTML!  I conquered you.
For today, that is.

Now, if you are a blogger, c'mon!  Grab my button!

Fresh Friday March 29

I can't believe it is already the end of March!

A special someone is turning 5 on the 31st.  I cannot believe my babiest baby is turning 5.

Okay.  Drying my eyes and moving on to Fresh Friday.  Three things that made this week extra special fun and freshly fantastic:

My hello, Kitty biscuit case.  Looks like saltines and is oh-so amazing, right???

Getting to hang out with my sister from another mister!

(Finally!) Got to go for a run outside.  And not bundle up like I am on Hoth.  It was just what I needed!

My weekend in pictures (and a video!)

The weekend started with a Friday evening egg hunt.  Held inside at the local YMCA it was perfect because of the cold and snowy weather.  E deemed himself to old to hunt eggs (but not too old to eat his brother and buddy's candy.)  Levi had so much fun hunting for eggs in the nursery where he plays when I work out.

I love having Saturdays off, but I also love the chance to sub!  Saturday students are always in such great moods and it is always a joy to share classical Pilates.

Lots of snow overnight Saturday to Sunday made for a pretty drive to my 6 week intro class.

The gorgeous view from the fitness room.

When Sunday looks like ^^ this, your class will probably look like this: 

But that 's okay.  I went through the complete intermediate classical work and ran a mile on the indoor track.  I was also bored waiting for students to show up and snapped lots of pictures.  And made a couple Vine videos.  Below is what happens when you leave an energetic Pilates instructor unattended.

 How was your weekend?  

Did you get snow where you are?

Egg hunts last weekend or coming up?

Sunday Social March 24

Don't forget!

Todays theme seems to be inspired by spring.  I need a breath of spring as we just got even MORE snow over night.  
At least I get in one more shoveling session this year :)

1. What is your favorite thing about spring?
The days start to get longer, everything is green and growing and coming back to life!

2.  What is your favorite kind of flower to grow and receive?

I love to grow geraniums!  I know they are hardy and inexpensive, but I don't have the greenest of thumbs and geraniums and I get along well.  I am usually able to keep one alive for multiple seasons!
I love to receive any kind of flowers!  Just knowing that someone thought of me enough to give flowers is the best.

3.  What is your favorite nail polish color?
Foie Gras by China Glaze for the Hunger Games collection.  Its a subtle plum color that just makes me happy to look at.

4.  What is your favorite outdoor activity?
Running!

5.  Do you have any fun spring plans?  Details?
The plan has been to run the Trolley Run with E and some of his friends/friends parents.  The race is not until April 28 so I am hoping that we still have time to train for this 4 mile race.

Okay, now it's your turn!  Blog about it and link-up here OR leave me your answers in the comment space below.

As usual, a big thanks to Ashley and Neely for hosting this link-up!

Is it just me or is there a lot of basketball on TV right now?

Happy Sunday!

Monday Funday

Today has been fun!  Both boys were off school so we went to Crown Center, one of our favorite places to go in Kansas City.

We also got to stop my my best friends new loft.  

Fun at Funville, a hands-on free exhibit.  

Surf City!

Bumble Bear and Grumps the Clown

Creepin' on my boys!

 I love capturing my boys when they are just acting natural.  Here we are waiting for lunch.  L is patiently holding his bag of chips and cheese while E slurps his soda.

Eggplant pizza from d'Bronx.  So good.

And a little seasonal decorating:

I am not a huge holiday decorator but my mom makes the cutest crocheted shamrocks so I hung them from my favorite decorating element: jute.

How has your Monday been?

Do you decorate for holidays?

What is your favorite place to go for a day of fun?

Fresh Friday

It's Friday!  This has been my first full week back at work since the Snowpocalypse that hit Kansas City the last two weeks.  I have to say, it has been nice to get back to a normal schedule.  Snow days are fun, but since my job is scheduled out with students each hour, missing a day or two really throws a wrench in the works.

Fresh Friday!

Again, I can't say enough how much I love this link-up.  It is so easy to get caught up in the negative, stressful happenings of the week.  Doing this link-up causes me to take a look at the last 7 days and find 3 things that were fresh.  Fabulous.  Fantastic.  Fun.

So, even if you aren't a blogger, even if you don't post it anywhere but in your mind, please join me in conjuring up 3 things that made your week fresh.  I would love to hear what yours are!

Dinner with friends + hot yoga.  I love both so much and I always say I should do both more often.

Fruits!

L has been eating fruit like crazy this week!  He loves to help slice and prep, too.  He even tried celery this way!  Kid tip: let your kids help out with fruit and veggie prep and they will be more likely to try the foods.  L requested a piece of celery to chop and then popped a piece in his mouth!  He didn't love it, but at least he tried, right?

Fresh spinach, tomatoes and avocado are making my week.  YUM!

Join the link up here.

Tell me your three fresh things from this past week in the comment section below!

Don't go yet!  Click here to enter to win a moisture-wicking, super soft Manduka eQua fitness towel.  Perfect for hot yoga, Pilates, cycling...wherever you sweat!

My Birthday Party + Manduka Giveaway!

I had an absolutely perfect birthday party on Sunday!  A group of my closest friends and I went to my favorite hot yoga class and then to dinner.  It was so fun.  And something I would never have thought to do just a few years ago.

I used to get really stressed out when planning what to do for my birthday.  I wanted the people I was inviting to have fun so I would try to think of what my friends liked doing, what would make them happy.  This would leave me stressed and not even wanting to do anything.  "No one will want to come, it will be so boring."  I would end up thinking.
Years ago I was getting my hair cut, by a stylist I can't even remember, but she was telling me how she went ice skating with her friends for her birthday.  I was shocked.  I told her it sounded like so much fun but that I didn't think that any of my friends would come.

"Plan what you want to do.  If they are your true friends, they will come."

Wow.

I had never looked at it that way, but it is so true.  I had obsessed for so many years over planning my party at a bar or restaurant that I thought my friends would like that I missed the whole idea.
It's my birthday.  It's my one day to have fun.  My friends want to spend time with me, not be entertained by a perfect night out.  So, a couple years ago, I did plan an ice skating party.  And guess what?  My friends came!  They didn't all skate, and there were plenty of laughs to go around, but it was so much fun.  It was a turning point for me and what has allowed me to dare to be different and plan a hot yoga party for myself.

5 of my friends came to yoga last night.  Well, 4.  One of them was locked out because she was late.  She has always run late.  Forever.  But it's one reason to love her!  Two of my friends brought a friend along.  How cool is that?  So, there were 7 of us in this challenging, warm, relaxing yoga class.  Breathing and taking time for ourselves.
Then we went to Houlihan's for dinner.  I hadn't been there for years and I just love their food.
Talking, laughing, giggling about our horrible waitress.  Discussing what we all do with our lives during the week.  Reminiscing about the old days.
So.  Much.  Fun.
And gifts!  Lots of fun gifts and the gift of just being there.   Oh, and creme brulee.  My favorite dessert!

Now for the giveaway!

A few days after my actual birthday in February I received a workout towel from Manduka.  I have been saving it to take with me to hot yoga.  My birthday = a present for YOU!

Manduka is an eco-friendly line of yoga gear.  Mats, towels, props, tees and tanks.


The eQua hand towel is a super soft microfiber that fits perfectly at the front of your yoga mat.  As I was sweating my way through class I noticed the difference between this towel and a regular towel immediatly.  The eQua towel absorbed sweat so quickly.  No wiping and waiting.  Just a quick blot was all I needed.  And, placed at the front of my mat, my hands didn't slide or slip at all.
For savasana I placed the towel over my eyes and it blocked out the light but wasn't heavy at all.  And, the best part, it was dry!  That's right, I didn't have to lay there with a sweaty towel on my face because the fast-drying eQua towel really lives up to it's promises.

There are so many options out there for yoga gear, but what I really like about Manduka is their eco-friendly mission, the exciting colors and the fact that their products are well made without being through-the-roof expensive.  I have found my go-to company!

The only bad thing about the Manduka eQua towel?  Picking which color to get!  There are so many fabulous colors I wanted one of each :)  I chose SHADE, a beautiful slate color.  But it was so hard.  GLOW would be fabulous for a mat, don't you think?  You could color-coordinate your mat, towel and bag or pick colors to compliment each other.  How cool is that?

To celebrate the launch of their spring line/colors Manduka is doing the #NowisWow campaign, a 5 week digital campaign encouraging the yoga community to take a pause and experience the moment—by celebrating life, reveling in nature and embracing the now.  Every week Manduka will showcase a new color from the Spring line—in visual collage form—via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and their awesome The Upward Frog blog! To learn more go here.


Next on my shopping list is this bamboo block and the Ombre mat towel in Pop Rock!

Manduka is generously offering to give a eQua towel to one lucky readera Rafflecopter giveaway