When blissful moments find you

Today was one of those days. Happy just because. Little bits of bliss here and there.

I’ve been sick and whiny lately, so it was a nice change to have some moments that made me smile.

There was my new dress, which is so fabulous, it deserves it’s own post. (Soon!)

All the classes at school put on plays around this time. My class’ play was a couple of weeks ago (a musical circus, adorable!). Tonight, I helped out with another group. We don’t have a stage at school, so we go to the church across the street. They have a huge basement with a great stage. While I was setting up chairs, I noticed a bookshelf. Obviously, I had to check it out. They were for sale. For 25 cents! Seriously! A quarter for a book! There was a piggy bank to put your coins in.

And then coming home after a long, long day to find these beautiful lilacs my cousin Annie left for me and a card her daughter made me. Such a thoughtful gesture and it made me crazy happy! When someone goes out of their way to do something nice, just because, it’s a wonderful feeling.

I had one of these moments today. They don’t happen every day, so I sat back for a few minutes and enjoyed watching the kids work.

Also, I went to the library after school and ran into one of my first graders. Her reaction is a perfect example of how kids act when they see their teacher out of school.

You’re at the library?

You’re getting books?!

For our class?! Wow.

I hope your day had some bliss in it!

I’m not lazy, I’m energy efficient

I’m still sick.

I’ve spent the past ten days looking like the walking dead. I cough, I sneeze, I whine, I cough some more. It’s not pleasant.

Today is Sunday. I was sure by now, I would be all better. I was planning on going to yoga today. Since I can barely breathe without making a Darth Vader sound while just sitting on my couch, I figure hot yoga might not be the best thing for me right now.

I’m starting a 30 day yoga challenge on June first, so I guess this being sick business is kind of good timing. Hopefully, hopefully, I’ll be better by next Saturday.

I’ve been falling behind on my picture a day challenge, because of the whole being sick thing. Today, I’m trying to catch up. I’m also making some lemon chicken (well, my crockpot is). And that is it. No cleaning, no working, no running, no yoga. Just me, my couch, my pyjamas, my books and lots of tea. It’s the kind of day I always tell myself I’ll make time for, when I’m not sick. Now that I am sick, I am having a lazy day, and I am going to enjoy it! I no longer have a fever or feel the need to sleep after being awake for 20 minutes, so I’m going to make the most of my lazy day and start my week off feeling rested.

Please send healing thoughts, flowers and chocolate. Also, wine. I’m sure that would make me feel better.

Wordless Wednesday

So juicy!

I’m sick. I don’t like being sick. I know, I know, nobody likes being sick! I had a super busy week filled with awesome things, like my class play, and not so awesome things, like my car needing expensive fixing -up. Add all that up, throw in some germy kids and voilà, sick me! It’s mostly an annoying cough, so I’ll live.

I went to up to my parent’s place yesterday so my dad could change the breaks on my car (with all the things I had to pay for this week, I was happy to take advantage of some free labour. Thanks Pop and Uncle Phil!)

My mom and my aunts were at the farm planting the garden. I sort of helped, a little. Well, I cut up the planting potatoes. Mostly I sat on the porch and read my book.

Also, I took some pretty pictures.

My mom took pity on me because I was sick and made me some fresh juice. I’ve never been a fan of juicing, and I didn’t want anything green in there, so she made me a carrot, apple and orange juice. It was delicious! She said I would feel better as soon as I drank it. I didn’t work quite that fast, but I feel much better today, so it must have helped!

I borrowed their juicer so I could make more fresh juice until I feel better. I quite like it, so I’ll probably keep juicing once I feel better! Today I made carrot, apple, orange and celery.

I watched a documentary a few weeks ago called “Fat, sick and nearly dead” about an overweight, sick man who gets healthy largely by going on a juice fast. It was very interesting. My mom and I also watched two documentaries last night called “Hungry for change” and “Happy”. I enjoy documentaries because they really make you think.

Do you have any juice recipes I should try? Or any documentaries I should watch?

Did somebody say “30 day yoga challenge”?

If you’ve been reading my blog at all, you know how much I love yoga. I love it so much, I did a 30 day yoga challenge twice.

And guess what?

I’m doing it again!

Today, I signed up for a 30 day challenge hosted by my favourite studio and one of my most favorite places to be, Pure Yoga Ottawa. It starts on June 1st. I’m not sure how it’s going to go, because June is a crazy month at work, but then again, there is never a perfect time for a challenge like this one. You just have to jump in, do your best and not take it too seriously.

I started the school year with a challenge for the month of September, and I’ll be ending the year the same way. It’s a good thing I had yoga this year. My class is a lot of fun, but they’re very high-energy, busy little people that require lots and lots of patience. Enter lots and lots of yoga.

Then, in July, I’m doing my yoga teacher training! Two months of blissful yoga. I can’t wait!

Please take a minute to watch my video! It’s a contest and I could win half the cost of my teacher training tuition. You can view it every day until May 31st. Thanks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FymAS1je9o0

 

Confessions of a bookworm

I am a geeky book nerd.

It’s awesome.

How do you know if you are this awesome too?

Take this simple quiz.

Sometimes I would rather read than

A) Go outside

B) Go to work

C) Do housework

D) Talk to people

E) Watch tv

F) Do any form of exercise

G) Eat

H) Do anything else

If you answered yes to more than one of these, congratulations, you are awesome! Welcome to the book nerd club.

Last week, I saw a post that had me jumping for joy. My geeky club peeps will understand. It’s a Read-a-thon! OMG! I know, right?! How exciting!

It started this morning, but much as I would love to read at work, I don’t think my students would appreciate it. (Although, we are planning a one day read-a-thon, where we’ll go to the library, then read all day. I’m so rubbing off on them.)

It’s from today until Sunday.

Here are my goals for this week of awesomeness.

1. Read at least one hour per day.

2. Finish one yoga book and start another.

3. Not watch tv (Grey’s Anatomy season finale does not count).

If I do number three, then I’ll do much more than one hour for number one, but I’m still going to go running and to yoga, so we’ll see how it goes. Mostly, I’m just excited to have a reason to read, read, read! (Not that I actually need a reason, but whatever.)

Will you be joining my fantastic reading adventure? Check out the official site here. Because, yes, this is so awesome, it’s official. I didn’t even make it up.

These are some of my maybe books for this week.

Any suggestions?

Running and flowers

I’ve been getting back into running lately. For the past three weeks, I’ve been following the couch to 5k program, and so far, so good. Except yesterday. Yesterday was not good. It was the last day of week three and I needed to get my third run in.

I did not want to run.

I went to a kick-my-butt yoga class in the morning, then ran some errands. All I wanted to do after that was crash on the couch for a while and read my book. The thing is, when my friend Suzanne and I started running together, I made us these motivation calendars. What’s a motivation calendar, you ask? Well, it’s a calendar where you get to put a sticker when you go running. Little feet for running, stars for yoga.

The only thing that made me go on that run was the thought of not getting a third sticker for the week. Not because I really love stickers (but who doesn’t love stickers?) but because if I didn’t go, that empty space on my calendar would mock me every time I walked by it.

So I went running. I’m not going to lie and say that as soon as I started running, I felt amazing. No. I felt like I was on a run I didn’t want to be on. But about halfway through, I got over my crankiness and enjoyed myself. I really, really enjoyed putting that sticker on my calendar!

Today, Sunday, is mother’s day. My mom is awesome, which is a good thing, because I’m becoming more and more like her. There is no doubt that I am my mother’s daughter and I couldn’t be happier about it. I hope that, when I have kids, I’m just like her. She used to take my sister and I on all sorts of adventures, playing under a bridge (seriously the coolest thing ever when you’re a kid) letting us take all the lessons we wanted (figure skating, horsback riding and step dancing anyone?) and baked, played, danced, sang, read with us all the time. And I mean all the time. She was, and still is, always there for us.

Every year, since I was little, I pick May flowers for my mom on mother’s day. Last year, I had a nasty cold and I still stopped by the side of the road and picked flowers for her. This year, don’t ask me what happened, but I forgot. I know! How could I forget!? My mom did not say anything, probably so I wouldn’t feel bad, but when my sister showed up, she asked “Where are the May flowers?”

I couldn’t believe I forgot, so I took my two little cousins and drove out to my “secret spot” so we could pick some for our moms. Sadly, my mom only got a small bouquet, as the kids were so into it, yelling “I found one!” whenever they saw a flower, that I just had to leave more for them.

Here’s a tip: If you’re going to be walking in the cold, mucky woods, don’t wear thin little flats.

The rest of the day was spent indoors, eating delicious food and spending time with family. And that included doing the dishes!

May photo a day

Last year, I did the photo a day challenge a few times. The last time, in July, I didn’t finish the month. I wasn’t very motivated and it kind of made me think it would happen again if I tried for another month. Well, I decided to get over it for May and I’ve been happily snapping away for 9 days now!

Here’s what I’ve got.

Day 1, I bought this!

Day 2, Morning ritual

Day 3, This is really good!

Day 4, In my cup

Day 5, Paper

Day 6, Broken

Day 7, Something begining with F

Day 8, Shape

Day 9, A snack

I won’t be posting all my pictures here, but I am posting them on my facebook page, so if you would like to see the rest, head on over there and like me!

Country roads

I went to visit my family this weekend. I grew up in the country, and when I go back on beautiful, sunny weekends like this one, it makes me realize how much I miss it! I love my appartment and my life in the city, but summer-like days just beg to be spent outside, with no hum of traffic, by the water, with a nice cold drink.

I am very much like my mom in a lot of ways. We both love old things. Houses, books, barns, family history. On Sunday, I wanted to go out and take some pictures, so my mom and I drove around on some country roads (which are just called roads, at home) for a couple of hours. Here’s what came out of it.

It was the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon with my momma!

Crazy busy awesomeness

We’ve all seen the quote “Stop the gloryfication of busy.” I agree with it, to a certain degree. If you’re too busy to enjoy yourself, your family and your life, then yeah, it’s too much. However, if your busy is all about living, laughing and experiencing whatever new thing comes your way, then I think busy is a good thing. For example, I am much too busy to worry about housework, but not too busy to spend an hour reading by the water. Make sense? Good.

April was busy for me. (Now that we’re all on the same page about what busy means, you get that it was awesome, right?) Here are some of my favourite moments. Well, moments where I had my camera with me.

Actually trying out something I saw on pinterest.

And my students’ version of this pinteresting flower.

Sugarbush and baby goats.

Making my own pumpkin granola bars. It worked, sort of. Ok, they didn’t taste like granola bars, but they were sugar-free and tasty!

Running again! This time with my friend Suzanne.

Family girl’s night. My aunts trying to make sushi! Lots of laughs.

Girlfriends girl’s night.

Awesome new yoga pants.

First drinks on the patio this year.

Accidental chicken.

Tulips.

One of my best April moments has to be making a video for my yoga teacher training. I asked people to watch it to help me win half the cost of my teacher training tuition. I am overwhelmed by the response I have recieved. I feel very loved and supported. I never would have imagined the views would climb so high, so fast. Thanks to everyone who’s watched and please keep watching!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FymAS1je9o0