What a weekend!!!

Hey there friends!

I hope everyone is getting in the holiday spirit! Even though we likely won’t be seeing snow in San Francisco for Christmas, frost covered peaks are just a few hours drive away. Phil and I spent our first weekend of the season in Tahoe and it did not disappoint! We didn’t hit the slopes because we’re still working on our gear situation but we explored Squaw Village, got settled into the house, and watched the snow fall from the hot tub – not a bad way to getaway! Even more exciting, for me anyway, is the discovery that one our housemates is also a yoga instructor in SF – WHOOT WHOOT!!! I am so excited to have a fellow yogi at the house and to get to know another bay area teacher…it’ll be fun to flow together and  nerd out on yoga stuff!

It’s Phil’s birthday tomorrow !!!!! I had a few tricks up my sleeve but he has to travel for work last minute 😦 , so we’ll have to save them for another time. Instead we’ll be celebrating with friends Friday at Dosa since Phil loves Indian…I still might have a thing or two planned! 😉 I have a lot to do for him in preparation for Christmas next week but can thankfully say I am done with everyone else. We’re going to be spending the holiday away from family this year so I think we’re both trying to make an extra effort to make it special!

It’s going to be so much fun to fill this space below the tree with gifts for him and have a nice dinner just the two of us.  Since we’re doing Christmas here I am so excited to be shooting up to Tahoe for some skiing for New Years!!

’til next time, keep smiling! 🙂

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It’s December…when’d that happen?

Hey there friends! Is anyone else completely shocked it’s December?!?! I mean, HOLY MOLE, where did the year go? When I think about all the big life adventures and ‘firsts’ of 2015 it seriously blows my mind: we moved across the country, I started pursuing a full time career in yoga, we got married, I traveled to France and Italy for the first time, and the other week I spent my first holiday away from my family.Phil and I celebrated Thanksgiving just the two of us at our place and while I missed the family, it was nice to have a low key holiday. I made a full Thanksgiving spread, including homemade cranberry sauce that isn’t in this picture. There was no actual turkey but I did offer to make one for Phil – he declined because tofurkey is AWESOME!!!Since the honeymoon neither Phil nor I have been the best about our diet. There was bound to be a little post wedding indulgence but we’re both feeling the results in what I will refer to as ‘love fat.’ Neither of us are all that concerned, just aware and making a plan to hit the ground running in 2016. One of the new additions to livingleen for 2016 is weekly menus and exercise routines every Monday to motivate and start the week off on the right foot!

 

’til next time, keep smiling! 😉

Holiday Season Spinning

From mine to yours, I hope everyone had the merriest Christmas, happiest Hanukkah & are looking forward to the most fun New Year ever!

We’re having a whirlwind of a holiday season but are thrilled to be spending time with family and friends, as well as managing some time for just the two of us. While New Year’s Eve is right around the corner, this brief return to reality is a necessary evil. We capped off long weekend #1 with an amazing Chilean wine course at The Wine School. We always have so much fun when we go & end up learning a fair amount as well…I can’t wait to get a little more wine education when Sonoma & Napa Valley are just a car ride away! We learned all about the history of their various regions, wine production, why their wine is such an incredible value and the many grape varietals. What I found most interesting was the fact Chile produces some of the oldest Carmenere in the world. Turns out, there was an infestation in France that wiped out all the old wines so the shearings transplanted to Chile are older than any of the wines growing Carmenere in France…cool, huh?

Anyway, this short week I am doing my best to stay on top of school – I have about 30 minutes of sanskrit lecture to finish, flash card review, a few hours of yoga philosophy to conquer, & my very first recording. I am both excited and nervous to video myself teaching an easy, 60min. vinyasa flow. I can only imagine how uncomfortable its going to be for me to watch it back but as my teacher says, its one of the most invaluable things you can do as a teacher if you’re looking to improve.

‘Til next time, keep smiling! 🙂

Wait, its December?!?!

Does anybody else feel like they blinked and it was December?!?! I feel like I was on my Alaskan cruise just the other day at that was back in August – geez!!

Thanksgiving weekend was a success, between the Poconos with Phil’s family Wed/Thurs to my sister’s surprise baby shower Fri/Sat I had my hands full, but everything went really well. I’m sure some of you are thinking “I don’t remember you mentioning a baby shower” and you’re right! Since my sister is one of my biggest blog supporters, it was mums the word, haha! and boy was she surprised!!

Equally surprised this weekend was me by the amount of snow we got in the Poconos, 8-10 inches. Phil and I decided to make the trek to the mountains late Tuesday night because we heard the snow was going to be bad and boy am I glad we did. 

I’ve been keeping up with my Yoga Medicine 200hr TT as much as possible but I feel like its very hard to motivate at times – between physical practice, practice teaching, class observations, online lectures, the book report, anatomy project & generally reviewing the material, there is just so much I could be doing each day that its hard to know where to start. This week I plan to finish my anatomy project, pick & start my book for the report, teach one class & observe one class (in addition to doing 5-6 hours of physical practice)…wish me luck!

‘Til next time, keep smiling! 🙂

Resolutions, Realizations and Reality

Happy Monday, Happy New Year and Happy return to reality (well, for me anyway)!

The holiday season was filled with family fun, traveling, working from home, coaching, and lots and lots of food! I am so grateful that I had this time to spend with loved ones and really soak in the season…not to mention, it snowed!!!!!!

While I loved all the merriment and munchies, I definitely fell off my regular routine. As December came to a close I was hit with a big dose of reality, nothing in my closet fit! When I say nothing, I don’t mean I couldn’t fit into one or two things, I quite literally mean dress after dress, after skirt after skirt, doesn’t fit me right now.

Of course there was the moment of tears, remorse and depression as I contemplated the ‘damage’ I had done to my body and in term of self-esteem, but after some consoling from my supportive boyfriend and deep breathing, I came to realize this isn’t such a terrible fate.

As I have  mentioned, I’m all about fresh starts, recommitting to healthy habits and not allowing moments of weakness – however long or brief – keep you from achieving your ultimate goal. Instead of focusing on the indulgences I allowed myself and the workouts I skipped, I am focusing on the positive steps I can take to get back on track.

Admittedly, I am not heavy, fat, chubby, whatever…but I am not in shape either. I measure whether or not I am in shape but how I feel and how my clothing fits; which isn’t great at the moment.

So, here’s to week #1 of getting back into it!!

Resolutions:

• Diet ~ drink more water/herbal tea & eat smaller portions/less sugar.
• Physical ~ exercise everyday/mix it up & commit to getting more sleep
• Mental ~ organize schedule monthly/review weekly & prepare the night before
• Spiritual ~ attend mass weekly & take 5 minutes a day for quiet gratitude/reflection
• Social ~ balance monthly budget & spend more responsibly

Here’s to a great start to 2014….!!!!

Foodie Friday

Here’s to the weekend! It’s times like this, when the weather gets chilly, that comfort food recipes are essential! This tasty slow cooker special is gluten, dairy and soy free, has a slightly spicy kick and is the perfect comforting dish!

Slow Cooker Chioppino:
28oz crushed chunky tomatoes
28oz tomato purée
12oz white wine
8oz stock (seafood or vegetarian)
3 jalepenos chopped
2 green bell peppers chopped
1 sweet onion sliced
1 bunch chopped parsley
2-3 tsp. Italian seasonings
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. cayenne

1lb. Cod cubed
1lb. Shrimp shelled and deveined
1lb. Clams

Add all the top ingredients into a slow cooker and set to low for about 8hrs. Turn to high and add seafood – continue to cook for 1 hr. Serve with sourdough bread (or in my case Udi’s bread) and some fresh parsley!

Enjoy with a nice glass of wine and in the company of loved ones!

Happy Friday!