Selah Yoga Retreat Part 1

I pulled over to snap a shot on my way up the mountain.

     During the Christmas season my regular yoga class at a free clinic was on hiatus. I found myself at a new studio and was amazed at how many people were crowding into this class on New Year's Eve. Clearly, the demand for yoga is great. I have been going consistently for 6 months now and have had immense results from just one day a week for one hour. My body is toning and the stress relief is tremendous!

     Whenever I've practiced I've felt so connected- not only to my body; but to the One who created it. It bothers me that many Christians are missing the blessing I have come to know because of misinformation. Fundamentally, who created breath? Who fashioned our bodies to bend and stretch? I feel the most connected to my mind, body, and soul when I am in my favorite yoga pose "Sun (aka Son :) Salutation"! 

The view I saw this weekend from my bed!

     "We practice with our minds set on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy (Phil 4:8); not with our minds emptied. We meditate on the wisdom of God's Word (Psalm 119:9-16, 26-27); not on man's wisdom. We seek the transcendence and glory of God; not our own."-Holy Yoga website

     Unfortunately, I contracted the dreaded Flu last month and later pneumonia! It was horrifying, my breath was so short I couldn't talk. I spent all that week in bed. In the following days I had trouble sleeping and went online. It occurred to me that although I had never heard of "Christian Yoga"; I wanted to Google it. Turns out, it sprouted at Saddle Back Church (Rick Warrens' of The Purpose Driven Life book). There are studios all over Orange County by minitries called Holy Yoga and Yaweh Yoga!

     I was stunned and excited and began to learn more. I  checked the event list and noticed there was a Yoga retreat in Idyllywild, CA I could drive to. I was enthralled! With ideas of opening my own studio- coupled with having felt I could take my yoga practice to a new level by integrating worship music, Scripture... . I really, really, wanted to go! With only one day notice (and a getaway planned with Patrick) I knew he would be wary.

     I went to bed last Thursday not sure if I would attend hours later. During my deep slumber I felt a warmness and energy infuse my body and a glimpse of the retreat, it  jolted me awake at 3:33 am and I knew with 100% certainty that I HAD to go.

I texted the retreat coordinator around 9 am. My hubby said "I didn't even say it was O.K". I said "I know, but I must go". Go I did

Birds, Bees and Baby Jesus

Tia at the mall after the ladies with curling irons recruited her.

One early December evening not so long ago, talk of Baby Jesus led to talk of sex. It started with something like; " how did Baby Jesus get in to Mary's stomach"?. Having spoken to hundreds of people over the last decade about sexual health through Reality Check; I knew when the day came for me to explain more in depth about reproductive workings I wouldn't skip a beat.  However, in this moment all I could do was clamor for words.

I continued that "Baby Jesus was put in Mary's tummy supernaturally- sort of like magic".
     "Was I put in your tummy like that"?, my daughter asked.
"Not exactly", I slowly uttered.
"So, Mommy and Daddy both have parts that fit together and can make a baby".
     "Oh, sort of like animals", she replied.
"Exactly"!
And that was the end of that conversation that night.


Just last week week we continued with this conservation. My daughter will be eight years-old next month and we are noticing signs of early puberty emerging. This is on the heels of a devastating loss for her. Her carnival fish of 40 months just died! It was heartbreaking for me as well because I was its main caretaker and fed it every morning and night. My sometimes-wise 15 year-old brother recommended we wait until Friday after school to tell her about "Guppy's" death (to avoid interfering with school). We checked into a hotel so she would have a nice experience to take her mind off of it- it really helped!

My daughter's first and only pet-Guppy (very missed)

That night; while relaxing in the jacuzzi, I continued with our aforementioned puberty discussion. I told her that she is starting to become a woman and when she is about twelve she will start to menstruate.
"What's that"? she asked expectedly.
"Every month your body, called your uterus will make a lining of blood to prepare for a baby, and if no baby grows the blood will come out your vagina (we always use proper anatomical terms with our kids). "It's not a bad thing when this happens."

The birds and bees (and Baby Jesus) are best if incorporated in a string of continual conversations. There is no need for a "sit-down" discussion-that can be really unnerving for both the listener and speaker. I will say- the car is a fantastic place to converse because you don't have that awkward eye contact.

Ongoing talks will definitely alleviate anxiety in your changing child , my daughter was so  excited to know that she is "becoming a woman" she spread the news to grandma at her next visit.

Christmas Kicks

     Greetings to my devoted readers! I am so grateful to you. I see in my Stats that some of you are viewing this blog all the way in Bangladesh. I can't express how happy this makes me! On a side note, some have commented that my daughter looks like she is from there or Sri Lanka. FYI, my children are Belizian, Panamanian and Filipino-I know cute huh?!

     If you are a regular here, you may have noticed that my last blog entry was a repost with slight alterations. I will now be linking up with Reality Check, they are segment of a Pregnancy Clinic I have volunteered with for ages. I started speaking with Reality Check almost a decade ago. As a teen; I had a vision that I would be talking to teens as an adult about sexual integrity (sounds better than abstinence right?). I wasn't sure how that would manifest. I called the Center to ask about volunteering more regularly, the woman who answered asked me "what do you see yourself doing?". When I answered she said "we are starting a program just like that!" Enter Reality Check. The lady on the phone is now one of my best friends-God is good! The linked posts are inspirational topics for teens and parent, you can view them here: http://yourrealitycheck.org/inspirational

      I hope your Christmas was lovely. I saw on Pinterest (the new love of my life-seriously, I mean it, I love it) how you can put uncooked cinnamon rolls in a waffle maker and make basically "cinnawaffles". They are so good! And easy! We are on a major kick right now and have had them every morning since Christmas. BTW use the accompanying icing instead of syrup. Wear an oven mit when you open the waffle maker (I got my machine from CVS for $10) because the steam that escapes is hot!

     Did you indulge in any new yumminess this season??? Or some different volunteer work???

     I wish you all a rejuvenated New Year! We need it right?!

                                             

Saints in "Sin City"

                                                

     My husband Patrick and I just returned from a very relaxing weekend  in "Slots Vegas" with our kids Tatianna, 7 and Ethan, 5. We have family there and were blessed with a hotel voucher for a free weekend stay at the beautiful Vdara hotel and spa. This is a smoke and casino free hotel. I was thrilled by the modern decor of dark woods and egg- shaped soaking tubs with plush crisp towels in high quantities ( I am not eco-friendly when it comes to towels and linens when traveling)! I insisted that everything in our room be put away to maintain the glorious simplicity, my husband was this close to kicking me out, espcially given the fact that I must disinfect all wipable surfaces and it was a weekend for him to "relax". What?!

We met up with my family who were also in town at their time share. In Vegas many of the poolside waitresses are in swim suits. Our waitress had a very noticeable, jarring scar that graced her whole torso. My mother asked her if she is required to wear her bikini. She said they gave her an option to wear a one-piece but she is fine with it. She wears her badge proudly, it's nothing compared to what she survived!

    She explained that while in a car six years ago (she was then 18) a drunk driver slammed into she and her sister after a birthday celebration for her sister's 13 birthday. The airbag deployed and obliterated her insides. She recounted that her internal bleeding was so severe, blood ran from her eyes and ears. She had a 10% chance of survival! Miraculously, through her shock she was able to calm her little sister. After, she remained in a 2 1/2 month coma, the doctors told her mom that even if she survived she would " be just a vegetable" (heard that one before). Her mom said "that's O.K, she will be my vegetable".

    By now my mom and I were both in tears. She remained in the hospital for six months total after four code blues. Her mother slept next to her every single night. The miracle was that she and her mother were not close and had a contentious relationship-until this. Our waitress said that she and her mom and  her 13 siblings (I know!) are closer than ever and speak on the phone daily. By the way; her little sister had just a broken arm but now drives like "an old lady" at age 19.

     Like many, I may conflict with my parents and other people I care about deeply; we even "agree to disagree sometimes". Life's experiences and stories like this one grant us a reminder to savor the moments that we do have with our loved ones.

                                           
                                                   
                                                  

                                                   

Wordless Wednesday

I love how his cheeks and chin make a heart!

DIY Animal Printing

 

Last week I had the idea to buy some leopard print paper for a gift I'm planning to make. When we got home I thought, "I don't want to buy another thing". I tried to figure out a way to make it. Lightbulb! I thought "why don't I put a piece of animal print clothing directly on my printer?" I did that and it turned out great. For my particular project I wanted  the print to be light enough for writing to show up on. Again, I scratched my head. Aha! I grabbed a sheer shirt and put it over the leopard scarf template and put them both directly on the printer.

I'm thrilled with the results. Now I can print all kinds of paper using anything that will fit on my printer! I covered my experiment sheets with a Georgetown cupcake box and made this to corral some clutter.

I used my daughter's skirt for this one

Free is Good!

DC Delightfulness!

A little blurry, I know...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

Television can get such a bad rap in some groups. I have learned SO much from watching T.V.
I used to be the kind of cook that gave my mom and I salmonella poisoning when I made eggnog as a teenager. I was certain I was a lost cause and my soon-to-be husband knew I would be doing no food prep in our marriage.Then came cable. HHHaaaaallllleeeeelllluuuujjjjjahhhhhhhhh! I discovered Giada on the the
Food Network and learned to cook from watching her show Everyday Italian!

One of my favorite food shows is DC Cupcakes on TLC. I LOVE cupcakes! The show centers on sisters Katherine and Sophie who left their satisfying corporate jobs and started a bakery showcasing their maternal grandmother's recipes. They have been a roaring success from Day 1.. Today they opened a location in Los Angeles- we had to be there!

My daughter and cousins landed on Robertson and 3rd about two hours before opening. The film crew was there too- we are so glad we got there early because that element slows the line down. Katherine and Sophie were SO sweet and warm! My daughter was wearing a cupcake motif skirt, the sisters loved it so much they wanted a photo with my daughter. Katherine noticed that Tia needed a straw and went and got one and put it in her cup. They explain that they want all their guests to feel like they are in their home and they really do! We kept chatting them up (pregnant Katherine was wearing one of those robot babies in a carrier) while they signed their latest book for me.

I collect signed cookbooks and have them addressed to Tia and I

They are Extremely close to their mom-who they and everyone calls "Mommy". She is the breakout star of the show and I had her sign my book too. We had the best morning, oh, did I mention the cupcakes taste AAAAmmmmaZing! So delightful. I'm excited that Tatianna and I will have the same closeness that the sisters and Mommy have too! I'll be whipping up some of their recipes with my new Kitchen Aid Mixer (I have been wanting one for years)!