Week off

Downdog-self study

Today marks one week since the end of my first segment of the year long yoga teacher training with Shannon von Burns. I have been on the mat only briefly this week as I feel like my body needed some rest as well as time to mentally take in all that we experienced. I've started on some of the workbook exercises as well as study questions on Ayurveda. Currently I am reading a book called Prakriti by Dr. Svoboda, which is all about Ayurveda and how to better understand the three dosha's (vata, pitta and Kapha) that make up your Prakriti (nature). It is extremely interesting and it is amazingly spot on. More on my personal dosha's later as that will be a post within itself.
One of the most interesting aspects of this training, is that it definitely is a journey to better understand ourselves as yoga individuals before we start to delve into understanding others peoples bodies and personalities. This practice of yoga self study (our bodies and behaviors) will be giving us the tools to better understand others in their yoga process.
This self study is quite extensive and will definitely open windows that I have neglected to look through. I look forward to the adventure!!

My little buddy

Well, well, well. This work thing is getting in the way of posting all sorts of interesting things that come flooding in and out of my brain. There is so much that I would like to record here. Journaling is so cathartic as well as providing a window in the past. Although creating a cyber journal slightly scares me as what if all those important blog posts, special emails could one day completely abolish, disappear, poof into thin air....yes, I know, back up your files (which i do every year, but should probably do every week). That is why I love letter writing, aka snail mail. Need to make a note to mental self to do that more often.
Any who, I am getting into a rhythm here in DC and loving it! The rhythm is slightly fast paced, but includes important facets of life: family, friends and work. I am managing to spend good quality time with family, which includes not only my husband and child but my mom dad, brother, his fiance, aunts and an uncle. My time with my son is as involved as I can be. As I am apart from him a lot of the day, I find those special moments where I can look into his eyes and be present with him, play silly games with him and tell him how much i love him. Friends, yes, I've been making it a point to go out with my girlfriends and am so enjoying that facet of my life too. Girls night out over really good food and wine! Work is exciting intense and busy. But I love that I am using my brain, making a mark and creating something.
I wanted to post a few little pics of hen as he is growing growing growing and speaking so much Spanish that I really am needing to get Rossetta Stone! Yikes help!

"FireLion"
(notice the lion costume is a bit on the small side too, was from his FIRST Halloween)
was this events costume pick!
Halloween party at our neighborhood park
and the rescue truck visited too!

Curious as to what this little one was for Halloween?

Hay fest at Butlers Orchard!

The boys

Digging in the backyard!

Now if only the darn stoller would recoil....

So now that we've been blessed with gorg weather, I am of course getting completely motivated to get outside and exercise! Yesterday, I picked up Henry from his escuela (school) and we quickly rushed home to grab the bob stroller, my running gear, water and sports drink, snacks for Henry and our sun glasses. We headed over to an area that is west of the Boulder Reservoir. I can never remember the trail name and I know I've talked about it before on my blog.... Thing is, I never really ventured out to run off-road with the bob and a 30 pound toddler (usually it is paved or the hubby is pushing the bob). WHOA. It wasn't until I took the bob out of the car and onto the trail with Henry in it that I realized we were low on air...the tires that is. "Hmmm," I thought to myself, this is going to be interesting. You're hear now, so get it together and just run the damn thing." I managed the 3 mile loop ok, but heck, those hills were rough. As a friend described, it is like trying to push a shopping cart through the snow. You try to push that thing away from you so that it could coast a bit, but its a no go. It literally comes to a stand still if you aren't consistently pushing it. Needless to say, I managed to burn off the chocolate I had eaten earlier so despite the angst, there were some pluses. Henry had a blast observing and checking the scene out. He loved seeing the horsies, cows, ducks, birds and the many doggies that jog the trail.
Having embarked on this trail run with the bob stroller and the 30 pound toddler in tow, got me thinking about the running workshops I used to teach, "Learning to Recoil." These classes encompassed posture, body awareness, core strengthening & stretching exercises, and stride/gate assessments. We taught efficient running posture so that one can move quicker more effectively with less energy. My friend and colleague Ralph Havens PT of Mission Hills Physical Therapy in San Diego and I put these together. They were so fun! So while in the midst of pushing the shopping cart through the snow, I thought about my posture, my stride, the angle at which my elbows bent (yes this matters) as well as where my hips where in relation to my knees and ankles. Of course I was v connected to my core too (with all that Pilates in my body). It helped as believe it or not, I am not sore today! Now if only that darn stroller would recoil.....
If interested, let me know if you'd like me to post a video cast of some running tips. Could be fun.

Henry in the bob


Huh?


Gorgeous Foothills (look how GREEN it is-even though the snow slosh we had 2 days prior really gave me a heartache)


short break to catch my breath and take in the views! Look at my cute baba!