Gratitude and Yoga

One thing Kay emphasises in yoga is to be kind-not only to others but yourself as well. While practicing yoga don't be discouraged when poses are difficult and react by thinking there is something wrong with your body. Instead be understanding and realize what muscles and joints are sore/tight and why. Don't push your muscles past what they can handle because you will end up INCREDIBLY sore the next day. Can't touch the floor during uttanasana (forward bending pose)? Reach for mid shin instead. Can't handle holding a lunge in Warrior II today? Don't lunge. "Where ever you are at today is perfect"- She says this EVERY session and it really helps set the tone of the class. 

At a recent session Kay gave us the beads pictured - they don't have to be a key chain, I just wanted them to be. She called them gratitude beads. There are 7 beads and the goal is to find 7 things a day- big or small- you are grateful for. Any time you are feeling upset, worn down, sad, or stressed she told us to look at the beads and try to think of something we are grateful for or that makes us happy. The tiny little bead at the end = gripe bead, since no one is perfect.

This is one of the things I love about Kay and our yoga practice- the mentality is so positive. In a world where negative thinking seems to be the norm, it is incredible to realize you control your attitude. You can choose to find the good and joy in each day, and when you do your entire prespective will change. You can condition your mind to focus on the good in life, instead of dwelling on the bad. When you realize you only have and control the now, you can stop focusing on the past and speculating about the future. Instead you can live each moment exactly where you are, and be content.

~Anne

A Case of the Januaries

Alright guys, I have a confession to make. I have the Januaries...bad. It has been two straight months of cold. I don't mean that Southern cold where it gets down to 25 degrees, there is less than one inch of snow, no wind, and EVERYONE PANICS. Schools close, there is NO TRAVEL ADVISED, everyone rushes to the store and buys ALL. THE. FOOD. Come on guys- That weather is for out door skating and snow ball fights.

Here it has been below 0 more than it has been above. There have been more cancellations at UND in the last two months than in all the years I went there. It has reached -50 (with wind chill) seemingly every other week- with a blizzard just about as often. And our offices DON'T EVER CLOSE.

So I have skipped my sunday skate way too much. I have missed out on fun get togethers. All I feel like doing is sitting on my couch with a blanket, a book, and cocoa. Or watching Sherlock. Or anything that doesn't involve me going outside any more than absolutely neccessary.

BUT this has to stop because all this whining is making me feel like a namby-pamby and the Frozen Tundra, as I so affectionatley refer to NODAK, doesn't seem to be thawing anytime soon.

~Anne

Pescetarian- the Pros

1st Meal as a Pescetarian- Chicago 

I have been a pescetarian- minus a few slip ups- for almost a year now. It has been completely surprising to me how easy it was and how little I miss the foods I have given up. The most difficulty I have is when I go out to restaurants, or when I go to someone's home who doesn't know or accomodate for my food preferences. Conversations about my pescetarianism usually happen, you guessed it, around the dinner table. These conversations usually revolve around or start with one of the following questions:

"HOW can you live without steak?!"
"Is that healthy? You need meat to get all your essential nutrients."
"That's an interesting choice...Are you against hunting now?"
"Why would you want to do that? Don't you miss meat?"

So I thought it was time I explained some of the pros, in my life, to making this change.

1. I have become much more creative with cooking, and try different cuisines whenever possible- next up I want to try something Thai.
2. I still get to eat many of the foods I love. This is part of why it wasn't that difficult for me to make the switch. I can still have my eggs, sushi, tuna sandwiches, pancakes, pasta, CHOCOLATE, etc whenever I want.
3. I have learned a lot about healthy eating simply because I dont eat meat. This means I have to compensate protien and iron into my diet via other foods and/or supplements. Beans-black, kidney, pinto- along with nuts, avacado, and leafy greens are my friends. I have also developed the taste for tofu and soy products- veggie burgers, veggie hot dogs and sausages, vegetarain sandwich "meat", chik'n nuggets are my go to for quick meals.
4. I have far less digestive problems and stomach issues than before. WINNING.
5. The only meats I have actually had cravings for are: venison- guilty of indulging-my dad is an enabler, bacon- only one slip about a month after I switched, and the Parrot's Cay chicken wings- haven't even tried them once.
6. And last but not least- this doesn't HAVE to be a permenant change. I am free to try to reintroduce certain meats into my diet as I want to or I can keep on rockin' the non-meat diet.

So here's what it really comes down to- It's my choice and I dont care if you want to eat steak for dinner every night for the next 40 years.  This choice is working for me- making me feel healthier and helping alleviate digestive issues I was having. But don't think for a second I am above having some of that venison my dad brings with him when he visits- because that stuff is way too good to pass up.

~ Anne

PS- I'll do a post on the negatives as well, for the sake of showing both sides. :)

Going back to the kids section...

People often disregard children or young adult fiction after reaching a "mature reading level", but sometimes the best books are found in the kids section. For our book club we read Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine and despite, or perhaps because of, the youthful audience it was written for Ella Enchanted was a phenomenal read.  It is the kind of book that draws you in immediately, you know right before bed when you are only going to read a couple chapters, and keeps your interest until two in the morning when you finally reach the ending. 

As I read Ella Enchanted I could tell why the other members of my book club had fallen in love with the book as children.  In this Cinderella spinoff, Ella is a more relatable character to me because of her headstrong and obstinate ways.  She grew up constantly having to fight to do anything she wanted when others told her differently and, despite her "gift", she manages to take back control of her future.

There are so many things to love about this book- here are some of my favorites:

 

There was magic- fairy magic

There was adventure- can you say ogres, gnomes, AND Giants?

There was drama- a death, evil step sisters, a distant father, an unwanted gift, and a feisty heroine

There was a cute love story - Prince Charming and all

 

So next time you aren't sure what book to pick up next, ask a fifth grader. :) 
 

~Anne
 

Photo credit to Mia Klaus-she da best

Livin' Life

This was my first holiday season with food restrictions. There was no ham, no turkey, no chicken, and no meat pie on my plate. Yet I still managed to eat more than should be humanly possible. There was lefse, cookies, pie, cheesy hashbrown bake, salad with mayo as dressing, and SO MUCH MORE.

I got an amazing assortment of funny and thoughtful gifts from warm wool socks to beautiful a beautiful scarf and jewelry to an awesome owl apron.

I laughed and napped and joked and talked and drank and then I LAUGHED some more.

Then the COLD hit- and hasn't left- around New Years- but still we dressed up, braved the negative temps and celebrated.

Basically I more than survived 2013's holiday season.  Happy Holidays and New Year!

~Anne

25 by 30

I celebrated my 25th birthday on New Years Eve and despite the fact that I felt like I was turning ancient-don't worry I was informed differently- I had an amazing night with some of my best friends/family.  They showed me that turning another year older isn't the end to the dreams I had growing up but a beginning of new dreams and adventures. Because of this I decided to make a list of my silly, fun, important, and far-fetched dreams(or goals) for the next 5 years.

1. Have a fun and as stress free as possible wedding

2. Go on a boundry waters trip or to Glacier National Park

3. Go back to Europe (specifically Scotland or Prague)

4. Make a pie from scratch

5. Run a 5k straight

6. Run a 10k straight

7. Learn how to cook tofu to the right consistency

8. Read Les Mis- I have been putting it off even though I really want to read it!

9. Retake up yoga and stick to it

10. Go to at least one craft beer festival

11. Start investing some money

12. Go to Seattle, or Portland, or some Western American city that isn't Las Vegas.

13. Build a rink in my best friends back yard- oh wait we did that :)

14. Go skating in Central Park

15. Watch the ball drop in NYC on New Years

16. Learn how to make lefse

17. Be published- at least once in a printed publication

18. Find a cause to volunteer for

19. Visit my brother in MO (more than once would be nice)

20. Go to the Winter Hockey Classic with the Klaus's

21.Keep the same pair of mittens for more than one winter

22. Buy a house or move somewhere ridiculously cool (or both)

23. Go fishing up at Lake of the Woods at least once a year

24. Go to the Christmas Markets in Germany

25. Have date nights with my fiance once a week, even after we are married

Will I accomplish all of these by the time the ball drops on January 1, 2019?  Maybe, or maybe not.  I'll keep you posted.

**Below is us on the backyard hockey rink in Mia's back yard- BEST IDEA EVER.  I have phenomenal friends**

        

Brewed Awakening = Fantastic

Taste testing at a Goose Island Brewpub

My standard-non adventurous beer

My relationship with beer started out...tenuous at best. Beer was not my favorite alcoholic beverage to sip at the local bar or get together, and in fact I usually only chose it last or when it was free. However after a few years of repeated trial, the taste grew on me. Now I have the taste for beers ranging from crappy,such as Busch, Natty Light, Premium, PBR, or Keystone to specialty brews that taste like banana bread(I KNOW IT'S LIKE A PIECE OF HEAVEN). My most recent beer experiment was with an IPA, previously my most despised beer, and I discovered that suddenly I LOVED IT. Apparently I am getting over my aversion to hops which is helpful because I was missing out on bunches of beer before. Now all I need to learn to love would be Stouts and I could drink anything. 

The Brewed Awakening is all about beer, incase you didn't get that from the title. It answers historical questions, technical questions, tells stories of breweries and brew masters, and SO much more. It makes me want to schedule vacations based on breweries, beer festivals, and beer release launches (who wants to go on a road trip?!)  Basically if you love beer, like beer, find beer interesting, want a topic to discuss at parties, or want an interesting read-this is your book. So in all seriousness, go read this book and learn about the wonderful creation of beer and all it's intoxicating delights. (Thanks for choosing it Cathy-you are bomb)


~Anne

FYI- My fave beer is basically anything by Goose Island (cough cough 312 cough) or Fat Tire :)