yoga today

A timely chant, from my yoga class this morning . . .

When you were born, you cried;
And the world rejoiced!
Live your life so that when you die,
The world cries, and you rejoice.

FLOG

BREAKFAST:

cereal, with homemade, unsweetened almond milk

SECOND BREAKFAST:
biscuit with butter (not pictured)

LUNCH:

MORE peanut noodles . . . and can you believe I still have a serving left? Sigh.

SNACKS:

a raspberry-oatmeal bar and an orange
and a tapioca pudding cup (not pictured)

DINNER:

spinach salad with cranberries, pecans, buttermilk blue cheese, and homemade balsamic vinaigrette

TREAT:

a cranberry-spice cookie from Common Roots (I ate half before yoga; this is the half I saved for when I got home!)

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I start my new yoga classes this week! Woo! I'm excited to have something to look forward to on Monday and Thursday nights. (I have been desperately reminding myself to pack pants today!!! They are out in the "work pile," so my zaniness must have worked.) :) I have found in my limited time doing formal yoga, one of the only things I can eat within two hours of a class is a salad -- anything else I've tried, even if I give it a full two hours, makes me feel kind of sick during class. Do you have any pre-yoga meal recommendations?

ALSO, if anyone has any interest in taking a beginning yoga class, my Thursday night session won't happen unless three more people sign up. :( Boo! Hiss! Let me know (my email's on my profile page) if you'd like details -- I'd be happy to provide them!

what I've learned from studio yoga

I don't know whether I've really blogged much about my first experiences with studio yoga this year, but I just wrapped up a six-week series today that was titled "Yoga for Back Health."

In case you didn't know, I've had chronic back pain most of my adult life, and started seeing a chiropractor in 2007 to help. After a lengthy "healing" process with the chiro, some flare-ups here and there, and a smattering of yoga done at home to try and keep things loose and aligned, I'm feeling like I'm at a point where I'm pretty much pain-free most days. Weather changes, stress, and doing silly things like carrying three loads of laundry up and down the back stairs at once will cause stiffness and soreness, but overall, I'm feeling pretty good!

SO . . . after that lengthy ramble . . . now you know why I was ready to try a yoga class that focused entirely on keeping my back healthy, strong, and flexible. This also happened to be my first ever studio yoga experience, and it was SUCH a positive one! Let me first wax poetic about the studio I chose . . .

I have been attending One Yoga, a nonprofit yoga studio on 26th and Lyndale. (They used to be located across the street from the Wedge, for you locals that might have seen the studio signs before.) What do I love about this organization?
~ Both studios are gorgeous, calming, and cheerful. I'm partial to the "sky studio," but I think that's just because it gets better light. And I like the color blue.
~ They have complimentary tea available at all times.
~ They are incredibly environmentally-responsible, including having low-flush toilets! (Seriously, they have two buttons on the top, and less water is used for just pee.)
~ The organization offers a sliding fee scale to its students, based on income.
~ Teachers do outreach into the community, including providing free yoga classes for staff and clients of other local nonprofits, and offering free yoga classes for prisoners.
~ Students can sign up to volunteer in exchange for free yoga classes!
~ Mats and props are available to borrow during class, so students don't have to lug around their own equipment (unless they want to.)

After wrapping up this first session, and being several classes into the philosophy class I also signed up for, (we're reading the Bhagavad Gita -- in English, thankfully!), I've learned quite a bit about myself already!
~ If I sign up and pay for yoga in advance, I go! I'm not so good about doing yoga at home, (I always seem to be too tired and/or have excuses in other things I could be doing,) but somehow, having to leave the house to go do yoga is easier! Who knew?
~ I have EXTREMELY tight hamstrings. Like, freakishly tight. This is common in people with back problems, I guess.
~ My torso is slightly longer than my legs. This is really odd to me, since I always thought it was the other way around!
~ I have super-weak arms. Like, floppy-wet-spaghetti-weak. Bianca, my back health teacher, taught me dolphin pose today, which will help me strengthen my arms. I am also supposed to do lots of downward facing dog.
~ My core is stronger than I thought.
~ My general walking/standing posture isn't as bad as I thought, although it could still use some work. :)
~ I am surprised in my level of openness when it comes to meditation. I had an exciting experience in yoga nidra a couple of weeks ago -- I felt like energy was pulsing out from a circle in the middle of my forehead! Neat.
~ Despite being very open to meditation, silly things pop into my head sometimes; for example, "wouldn't it be funny if the fire alarm went off right now?" Good gracious!

So, to put a long story short, let's just say . . . I'll be BACK! I'm considering purchasing a monthly pass and frequenting a couple drop-in classes starting in March, to see how that goes.

Have you done any studio yoga? What have your opininons/experiences been?

Yoga Month, Day 6

Since I completely spaced days 4 and 5 of yoga month, (well, I knew I wanted to do yoga, there just wasn't time,) I spent a little extra time on my mat today. I did 20 minutes of "Gentle Hatha 1" this afternoon, and 25 minutes of "Gentle Hatha 2" just now, both from Yoga Download. I enjoy both of these practices, but there are elements of each that I find REALLY challenging -- especially holding downward dog for more than a few breaths. I think I have weak arms! Wah! Hopefully I'll be much stronger by the end of the month, and won't feel like I want to wimp out!

Anyone else have trouble with downward dog? What are your favorite poses? What are your least favorite poses?

Yoga Month, Day 3

Wow. Today was a VERY long day, at the end of a VERY long week! I had a hard night's sleep last night, and I felt the lack of rest big time today. I was glad I had made tonight's dinner last night, and left baking instructions for Dan -- dinner was ready when I walked in the door!



Spinach and Artichoke Lasagna, made with whole-wheat noodles, and my homemade 5-minute marinara -- using fire-roasted tomatoes! This lasagna was so full of flavor, one square was plenty satisfying for me, with a huge green salad on the side. (Dan went back for seconds . . . and thirds! He likes cheese.) :)

I ended my evening with 25 minutes of "Moon Salutations," from Yoga Download. I've really enjoyed all of the classes I've purchased from these folks, and love that I'm able to load up my iPod with yoga for days that I know I won't have time to fit in a practice at home. (Those breaks at work have to be good for something, right?) Plus, we've recently re-arranged our apartment, and our TV is now in our bedroom -- where there's NO room to do yoga DVDs! I have found I only have to glance at the pictures of the poses the first few times I do a new practice, and then I have them practically memorized. Tonight's practice was slightly rigorous, almost, (the salutations were somewhat quickly flowing for a night-time practice,) but left me feeling relaxed and almost spent -- ready for bed!

Off to crawl into bed with Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers -- I spent a long time browsing the cookbook stacks at the library on Friday night, and discovered this gem. I NEED THIS COOKBOOK!

Do you check cookbooks out from your library? I love being able to preview a cookbook, use a few recipes, and browse liberally before deciding to actually buy something!

Yoga Month, Day 2

I managed to make myself do 20 minutes of "Stress Relief Yoga for Beginners" again tonight. Considering I was CONVINCED it was Saturday when I woke up this morning, I think I needed all the stress relief I could get!

Hopefully I'll be able to amp things up this weekend!

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Only one more day until a three-day weekend! Woo! Dan and I will probably do a couple of day trips, (hiking and/or biking,) and I also checked out a free pass to the Walker at the library tonight. Plus, there will be plenty of time to hit up the farmer's market, cook, bake, and relax! What are you looking forward to?

Yoga Month, Day 1

Hey hey, it's yoga month! For those of you who didn't read my post last weekend, I discovered September is officially "Yoga Month," and I decided to get my butt back on the yoga train by pledging to do yoga EVERY DAY for the month of September! Woo!

After my 10-mile bike ride home from work tonight, I took it easy with twenty minutes of "Stress Relief Yoga for Beginners," an old yoga DVD favorite of mine. It was really nice to stretch out, (especially my legs, upper back, and shoulders,) following my long ride!

I ended my evening with a deeeeeeelicious bowl of soup:

This Thai soup is one of Dan's favorites, and a frequent request when I ask him, "any ideas for what you'd like to eat next week?" I based my version on a recipe for "Thai-Style Chicken Soup" from Cook's Illustrated. I can't seem to find the recipe online anywhere, (except on their website, which you have to subscribe to in order to see recipes,) but know that this soup is pretty easy! You make a base of shallots, lemongrass, and cilantro, add vegetable broth and coconut milk, and after simmering, the solids are strained out. Cubed extra-firm tofu and sliced mushrooms float in the broth, which is then seasoned with fish sauce (or soy sauce,) curry paste, and lime juice. Garnish with green onions, cilantro, and sriracha!

What recipe does your spouse/significant other/children/friends ask you to make again and again?

yoga woes

As you know, I have really been working harder this year to incorporate more yoga into my life. Why? Well, I get plenty of exercise/activity in my daily routine, (lots of walking, plus general chasing around of preschoolers,) but I do very little that works on flexibility or strength. (But I have amazing endurance! It's not all bad!) Plus, I have a super-wonky back, and need to be stretching to keep things moving in-between chiropractic visits.

Enter: yoga. And I've REALLY been trying. Really, but it's been very hard, fitting in 20 to 30 minutes several days per week.

Why?

I feel like I've tried it all -- doing yoga during my break at work, writing it down on my calendar "to do" list, getting dinner prepared ahead of time so I can practice while dinner is in the oven, etc.

But it's not really working. I am often too tired to do yoga during my break at work, (and yoga just makes me sleepier,) and when I get home, I'm often so incredibly hungry (even after a couple of snacks mid- and late-afternoon,) that the thought of delaying dinner 20 or 30 minutes seems like torture.

Today, I woke up early and did yoga first thing this morning. And it wasn't that bad.

Truthfully, I'm really not a morning person . . . AT ALL. And I admit, the first ten minutes of the practice felt like complete torture. And my muscles were so tight from being inactive while sleeping, I didn't feel like I had that great of a practice. But once I got going, the practice felt better, and by the end, I was happy that I had rose early.

Maybe this will be the solution to my yoga woes? Maybe. Hopefully! Any suggestions/ideas are welcome!

off and on the yoga wagon

I must confess . . . I sort of "fell off" the yoga wagon last week. Too many busy nights, too little sleep, and too many germs at work made it REALLY hard to want to exercise when I got home from work, even if it was only for a few minutes. And then my laziness continued into the weekend -- we were busy, and I was TIRED. Like, I took a nap on Saturday tired, and THEN went to bed early on Saturday night, too!

All of that rest must have done me some good, because I feel back to my old self today, but I had definitely fallen out of the "habit" of doing yoga several nights per week. How to get myself back on the yoga wagon?

I contemplated a long, challenging, 45-minute practice tonight, especially since I arrived home early from work. Then, I thought, "nah, 20 minutes is enough -- better make myself feel successful right away!"

So I did, and logged, my 20 minutes. And I feel better. And I'll most likely do more yoga tomorrow! (I'm going to take my iPod and pants to work with me, and squeeze in 30 minutes during my break, since Dan and I have plans with his parents tomorrow night.)

What do you think? How do you motivate yourself to get back on track with healthy habits?

dinner and dessert, plus yoga update

I spent a good chunk of today in my kitchen, (wee!), getting busy prepping ingredients, marinades, bread doughs, etc. for our upcoming week's meals. Result?

Fajitas for dinner!

Whole-wheat tortillas stuffed with queso fresco, chipotle-lime marinaded tempeh, peppers, and onions, fresh tomatoes, guacamole, lettuce, and salsa. YUM! I didn't eat much for lunch today, so I enjoyed seconds of this fantastic dinner!

AND, gigantic cookies for dessert!

Every once in a while, I want to exercise my "lazy" bones and make gigantic cookies, just so I don't have to pull quite so many trays in and out of the oven.

And, for the record, this is the best oatmeal cookie recipe EVER, gigantic or normal-sized! Here goes . . .

Best Ever Oatmeal Cookies

Cream together:
1 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar

Beat in:
2 eggs

Combine, then stir into above:
2 cups regular rolled oats
2 cups AP flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cups "stuff" (I used 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut, 2/3 cup dried cranberries, 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, and 3/4 cup chocolate chips.)

To make giant cookies, I used my #16 disher and scooped them out in about 1/4-cup mounds, then pressed them flat with the palm of my hand. Baked for about 13 minutes at 375, and I had (about 20) awesome cookies to rival any coffee shop!

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Just a quick update on my New Year's resolutions -- I'm remembering to take my vitamin most days, (Dan usually still has to remind me,) we have a permanent large container of ground flax seeds that now live in our refrigerator, and the yoga is going well, as you can see from my sidebar. I'm enjoying committing that time each week, and I think what is helping the most is I set a VERY reasonable goal -- about 60 minutes per week, for 50 of the 52 weeks this year. I'm all about making lifestyle changes, instead of setting unrealistic goals that I'll give up on too quickly!

How are your New Year's resolutions going, if you made any?

I did yoga tonight!

It was much needed. :)

I probably won't be posting again until after the holiday, so happy Turkey-Free Day to all!

exercise woes.

Since I've started working full-time at the kitchenwares store, (due to my layoff, blah blah,) I have lost almost all motivation to exercise. I think I forgot how physically demanding being on my feet for 8 (or sometimes 12!) hours per day can be!

Because I've been so physically exhausted when getting home from work these days, I've been feeling mentally exhausted as well -- not a good combination when you're trying to stay positive about being underemployed and searching for a new job! So, I decided to do something about this problem tonight -- I walked home from work, (took about an hour, but I did run one errand on my way home,) and I also did 30 minutes of yoga later in the evening.

You know, I've really been missing the yoga lately. I should try and get back into the habit of daily (or nearly daily) yoga that I developed in March! It's good for my whole self, and I should really make it a priority.

Guess what else I'm excited about, exercise wise? My BIKE!! Weeee! I love to ride my bike! In my opinion, the best part about biking is flying past cars in a traffic jam. Ha, ha, there I go, greener and faster!

So, I guess in the end, these aren't really exercise woes. Just ramblings.

weekend recap, fun mail, and check one thing off the list

I have very few pictures from this weekend, partly because I was lazy, and partly because I loaned my camera to Courtney for the day on Saturday. (She's selling some stuff on Craigslist.) I promise we ate, though!

Saturday brunch was our usual poached eggs, kale and mushrooms, and crispy-delicious hashbrowns. Dan was quite the helper this weekend and tore up the kale, sauteed the kale and mushrooms, and made the hashbrowns! It's tricky squeezing two of us in my teensie kitchen, but we made it work. :)

Saturday dinner was delicious, and I think becoming one of my all-time most favorite meals -- Hot-Sauce Glazed Tempeh (from Veganomicon,) mashed potatoes with my own version of very speedy gravy, and steamed broccoli again. Dan took charge of the potatoes and gravy -- I've never had butterier mashed potatoes . . . and he wanted to add olive oil, too! I have to draw the line somewhere??? ;)

After we got home from church on Easter, I made a rather untraditional Easter Dinner:

Who says you can't have falafel sandwiches for Easter Dinner? Homemade pita, cucumber, onion, tomato, and romaine lettuce rounded out the deliciousness, all covered in a sauce made from plain soy yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and some grated fresh garlic.

Sunday supper was a super-simple whole-wheat pasta with marinara and parmesan, green salad on the side, but I made a fantastic dessert:

I cleaned out my freezer and made a raspberry, rhubarb, and apple crumble, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Dan searched high and low for a store open on Easter selling ice cream, and came back successful . . . eventually! (It made it that much more worth it, right?)

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I got fun stuff in the mail today:

Since I completed the 31-Day Yoga Challenge, I rewarded myself with not two, but THREE new yoga DVDs! (Well, I guess techinically FIVE new DVDs, but three of them are a set, so . . . it counts as one, right?) I chose to skip a new pair of yoga pants in favor of some new challenges. I've been enjoying the sun salutes from Yoga Journal's "Step by Step Session 1," and will progress to Session 2 once I'm feeling stronger and more flexible -- maybe another month? "Yoga for Every Body" seemed very intriguing to me -- it's a highly-customizeable DVD, allowing you to choose your level (beginning, intermediate, advanced,) length of practice, and specific target areas, such as back or neck pain, improving balance, etc. "Stress Relief Yoga for Beginners" is an old favorite I had on VHS, that REALLY needed updating.

Between all of my new DVDs and the practices I downloaded at the end of last month, I'm going to feel challenged (at least in the yoga department) for a LONG time! Woo!

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Last, I'm pleased to report that I will officially mail away all of my paperwork to renew my teaching license TOMORROW! (I would mail it tonight, except that I don't have enough stamps -- that sucker is heavy!) Now that I've finished that project, I can move on to bigger and better (and more fun) things, like cleaning out my apartment to prepare for Dan moving in this summer. Woo!

Yoga Challenge (day 31) and reflections

To conclude 31 days of yoga, I chose a new practice this evening -- 30 minutes of "lunar flow" from Yoga Download. I'm so glad I decided to check out a few yoga downloads -- and just in time to use Tina's coupon for 50% off! I also downloaded gentle hatha, moon salutes, and yoga for back pain. I'm excited to try out these other practices, too! I was a little bit worried about the minimal visuals using the audio download, but found I only needed to glance at the PDF containing the pose illustrations during unfamiliar poses.

Speaking of unfamiliar poses . . . whoa half-pigeon! My hips have never felt so loose and free. Plow is going to kick my ass, however. :) I can't wait to be strong enough to do the shoulder stand!

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Reflecting on the past month . . .

. . . although my level of motivation and participation in the challenge has ebbed and flowed, I am proud of myself for practicing yoga for 30 of the past 31 days! I recorded my practices on a wall calendar, and I must admit . . . that empty square still haunts me a little. I remember that day, though, and know that there was no way yoga would have fit.

HOWEVER, I have practiced 745 minutes of yoga this month, (nearly 12 1/2 hours,) averaging 24 minutes and a couple of seconds per day. WOW!

I have noticed improvements in my overall flexibility and general fitness, but I believe the greatest benefits I’ve reaped from this challenge have been emotional/spiritual. I think the combination of focused, deep breathing and challenging body postures allow me to decompress in a way that is very beneficial to me. I have a high-stress job, (preschool teacher for low-income, high-needs children,) and often struggle turning work “off” when I get home. Practicing yoga immediately after work has become a crucial part of my weeknight routine! My evenings have been more relaxed, productive, and focused, and I seriously think I have been sleeping better, too!

I am thankful I have developed a new habit – and I bet my chiropractor will be thankful, too! (I have had chronic/severe back pain for many years, now – and I have been pain-free this entire month! Woooo yoga!)

I have always HATED “exercise,” although I love to be busy and active – I love to walk with friends, bike, and explore the wilderness, but have set foot in a “gym” literally less than five times my entire adult life. I’ve discovered, thanks to this challenge, “exercise” that I actually enjoy! No longer will the long, cold Minnesota winters be so lazy for me!

With that said . . . bring on spring, and more yoga!

(P.S. I forgot to mention . . . I continue to do sun salutes and various yoga poses with the children I teach, and they beg to go to the conference room for “yoga class!” I think it’s so cute when they say “namaste” to each other!)

How was your month of yoga, if you were practicing along?

Yoga Challenge (day 30)

I cannot believe there is only ONE day left of the 31-day yoga challenge! Wow. The other thing I can't believe? I only skipped ONE day the entire month! I'm excited to report my "stats" tomorrow, as well as reflect on the last month. Tonight, I decided to push myself (with the hopes of finishing with a "bang,") and did 45 minutes of "Yoga Conditioning for Weight Loss." The thing I love most about this practice, (besides that it is incredibly challenging,) is that there is a "combined practice" option, where you can watch four women practicing at the same time, each doing a different level of modification. Perfect, if you ask me! Most poses I can do at an intermediate level, where some others I need to modify at a more beginner level. I appreciate the option to customize as my body needs today!

I have little piddly stuff to do around the apartment tonight, and I hope to investigate some of the yoga downloads still available at 50% off -- now that I'm feeling more confident in my yoga practicing, I think I'm ready to try an auditory-only practice!

Yoga Challenge (day 29) and Sunday eats!

I went for a long walk around Lake of the Isles with my friend Ann this afternoon, and did 20 minutes of "Stress Relief Yoga for Beginners" when I got home, to stretch out the leg muscles in particular.

I can't believe there are only two days left in the challenge! I'm so excited to reflect on the challenge on Wednesday, and continue practicing yoga in the coming months. It's been an adventure, to say the least!

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I cooked today. (Finally.)

First, brunch:

Potato, kale, and sun-dried tomato frittata, with toast and apple slices. We may be having frittata more often. I like the idea of ONE dirty pan, instead of the usual THREE dirty pans! :)

Second, baking:

Scones, from Vegan with a Vengeance. I used mostly whole-wheat pastry flour with some ground oats thrown in for good measure, ground cinnamon, and diced apple. These spread quite a bit on me and turned out pretty flat, but they still taste amazing! Must file away apple-cinnamon scones for future reference.

Third, beans and rice:

I must be honest . . . "beans and rice" is one of those vegetarian staple meals that I've never quite been able to get behind, until very recently. Nobody ever puts recipes out there for beans and rice, and I was never happy with the concoctions I created -- but lately I've been adapting the recipe for "Messy Rice" from VCON to make my most favorite beans and rice to date! I'll share:
Cook together until soft:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 large onion, diced
1 large green pepper, diced
1 jalapeno, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt (use less if you're using canned beans)
Stir in:
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup brown rice (short or long grain, or a mix of the two)
Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the rice, and simmer for 45 minutes.
Stir in:
2 cups cooked pinto, black, or kidney beans (home-cooked or canned)
P.S. A canned chipotle in adobo would be awesome in this, too, (remove before serving,) and a healthy squeeze of fresh lime juice is always welcome. :)

Last, my favorite thing to do with beans and rice:

If the beans and rice are already cooked, these are the easiest, most delicious burritos ever -- sprinkle some shredded cheese in a tortilla, (my favorite is pepper Jack,) add a big scoop of beans and rice, fold and secure with a toothpick, and bake at 400 until the tortilla is crispy and the edges brown. Top with salsa and devour!
These burritos would also be great topped with sour cream, or guacamole, or salsa verde, or mole, or a homemade faux-cheese sauce! I also think the beans and rice would make amazing stuffed peppers . . . maybe I'll experiment next weekend!

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So, what's your secret recipe for amazing beans and rice?

Yoga Challenge (day 28), lights out, and chocolate!

I did 20 minutes of Yoga Journal's "Step-by-Step Session 1" again yesterday afternoon. That practice continues to kick my butt! Between a challenging yoga practice and a long walk, my legs were a little bit achy last night. Nothing a good night's sleep couldn't fix, though!

I browsed through new yoga DVDs onine yesterday, and several caught my eye. Once this challenge wraps up, I think I'll post on the ones that interest me, and seek your feedback!

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I don't have many food photos for you! I've been spoiled a little bit this weekend -- Dan took us out for dinner on Friday night, and AGAIN for brunch on Saturday! (It's good to indulge every once in a while, right?) Last night, I made us a simple pasta and salad dinner, but have no photos because we were eating during Earth Hour! (I must admit, we did use a wee bit of electricity during this time, since I left the computer on so we could listed to some music, and I had the gas on for a short time to finish the pasta.)

I meant to turn on my desk lamp for a brief time to snap a photo of our dessert, but mysteriously, my desk lamp wouldn't turn on at that time! (And it miraculously turned back on AFTER Earth Hour! A message, perhaps?) Anyhow, I decided to have dessert for breakfast this morning, just so I could show you all of the gooey deliciousness:

Ever had hot fudge sundae cake?? This is one of those things I remember from my childhood, and I actually had a dream about making hot fudge sundae cake on Friday night, so I figured it was meant to be. :) Chocolatey, gooey, sugary deliciousness . . . and vegan, too! Dan had two helpings -- must have been good?

I'm actually going to cook today, so I'll have more pictures later. :) Until then.

Yoga Challenge (day 27)

Although I had plenty of time for a longer practice tonight, and seriously considered "Yoga Conditioning for Weight Loss," I decided to choose a shorter, but still challenging 20 minutes of Yoga Journal's "Step-by-Step Session 1." Those sun salutes really do a number on my arms AND legs!

Although it's been a pretty unhealthy day for me food-wise, (Mr. Dennis's "taco salad" for lunch, a couple of cookies, and Dan and I will go out for dinner in a little while,) I decided to take the yoga somewhat easy. I have to figure out how I'm going to stay up until nearly 2 AM tonight! Dan has a late-night gig, which will be fun, but I don't want to overdo it before then and get too sleepy!

Happy weekend, everyone!

Yoga Challenge (day 26) and treats

Last night, I was SO tired when I finished all of my grocery shopping, baking (details to follow), and dish-washing, but I pushed myself to do 20 minutes of Yoga Journal's "Step-by-Step Session 1." There were a couple of times during down-dog that I actually had to put my knees down and rest for a minute, but I'm glad I went for the more challenging practice. Now that I have my "yoga muscles" back, I can start stepping it up a little bit, right?

I'll have plenty of time for a longer practice tonight, so let's hope I have SOME energy left when I get home from work! ;-)

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I enjoyed a nice, little baking party last night. I made a loaf of Broa from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, (which made AMAZING toast this morning,) and I also made cookies:



Peanut butter cookies (with the optional chocolate chips!) from The Joy of Vegan Baking. Mmmmmmmmmm. Dan's response last night was, "you're really on a chocolate-peanut butter kick lately, aren't you?" Well, heck yeah!

These cookies are GREAT -- and I'm going to take about a third of the batch to work today, so I don't eat them all by myself! I'm sure my coworkers will appreciate the "teacher treats" :) If any day deserves teacher treats, Friday is definitely it!

Yoga Challenge (day 25)

I think this has been my laziest night of yoga yet. I did "Stress Relief Yoga for Beginners" again, and I was feeling so lazy, I left my jeans and socks on. It felt like way too much work to change into yoga pants, only to change back into jeans so I could head out for choir practice shortly after I finished.

Hopefully I'll feel more motivated tomorrow. :)