Yoga Beach Pics

Before the month of August slips away, I felt that I needed to squeeze in a blog post. I have yet to miss a month since I started back in 2011!

This month has been maxed out with to-do list check-offs since I started back to school. This year is 6th grade for me and I'm enjoying it way more than I thought possible. This class is so much sweeter than my last go-round in middle school. My friend, Kristi, and I traded off days with the 6th graders a couple years ago and we would lovingly say that we were about to enter "the shark tank" when it was our day to work with them.

To counteract some of the middle school hormones I come in contact with each day, I usually do some yoga when I get home. Find my zen. Center. You know how I am...

One of the teachers I work with does photography on the side and she was nice enough to take pictures of my sister and me doing some beach yoga earlier this month. I'm not exactly sure what I want to do with all the pictures, but I knew I wanted to have them taken for whenever I decide. Ideas welcome.

For now, I'll just share some of them here with you. There were lots of great ones, but these are a few of my favorites. Thank you, Julie Mayville. You did an awesome job capturing the moments!

Shine

Today was a day of inspiration and refreshment for my soul. This was partly due to the memorial service I attended for Robert Espinoza this morning. What a nice reminder of what it looks like to be a light in the community, spreading your passion, whatever it may be. I loved that everyone was encouraged to wear running gear in his honor. A very unique and personal touch.

Tomorrow, I'm looking forward to kicking my butt into gear with 6 miles at the Watermelon Crawl at Lake Mayer. I know many of the words spoken and stories told from the service today will inspire me to keep on going.

Lately, its been so brutally hot outside that I've found few indoor workouts to keep me on track. Besides p90x3, I've found a girl who does free yoga video's on YouTube (Lesley Fightmaster) and I've been treating myself to some at-home-yoga sessions. Tonight I waited until it was dark out, lit some candles, layed out my mat, put my laptop on the floor, and had my own little studio right in the middle of my living room. Lucky for me, with early birds getting ready for the 4th, I got to see fireworks across the river the whole time I was practicing. I tried to take a picture but the camera phone wasn't cutting it.

During the final resting pose on my yoga video tonight, Lesley read a quote that I felt completed the day perfectly:

"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us."

-Albert Schweitzer

Thoughts on Lunch

Know what I like most about the summer at this point? Not having to pack a lunch for the day ahead & hope I'm going to be in the mood for it when that time rolls around. I can eat whatever I want, whenever I want...and it can be fresh! No soggy sandwiches and limp lettuce and re-heated leftovers. I can actually enjoy a salad without having to bring a single serving of dressing in a Ziploc bag, hoping it will be enough, and risk it spilling all over my lunch box. First world problems, I know. But it is really nice having the luxury of relaxing, non-rushed meal. Even breakfast doesn't come with a time limit. It just occurred to me today how much I am loving this. That's all!

Disney In Pictures

Josh and I just returned from Disney. I feel like I've been hit by a truck. SO TIRED. I have no idea how many miles we walked each day but I can guarantee it was at least eight.

Right here, you are looking at the first people in line for the Animal Kingdom! We got up at 5:30am & stayed in the park until 6pm. That is a LONG day.

The hit ride was Expedition Everest. Josh insisted on riding it three times. As you will see in the following pictures, he grinned from ear to ear on all the roller coasters. Loved them. The first pic is what Everest Looks like from far away. Then we have the before and afters. It was scary!

Day 2 was Magic Kingdom day. We did got there early and did Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain, Carousel of Progress, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Its a Small World...then took a break and went back to the hotel for a nap. It was getting hot and crowded and I was fading. Here are the pics from Round 1: My face says it all. 

Like the troopers we were, were returned to the Magic Kingdom at 6pm, in the rain, hoping for no lines. Apparently lots of other people did had the same idea. We prepared with ponchos and they came in handy. When we got to the park all the outdoor rides were closed down because of the lightening, so we got on as many others as were open...mainly little kid rides like Winnie the Pooh and Little Mermaid, but I still love all those. 

Poncho Picture

And here are the pictures of round 2 on Splash and Space Mountain. Again....my face. That's how I felt. I'm posting them with no shame! Also, I love the last one on the Buzz LightYear ride. You shoot things with lasers and one of us was really into it. I'll let you guess who. 

Until next time, Disney!

What Are You Doing This Summer?

Tomorrow afternoon Josh and I head out to The Happiest Place on Earth. I haven't been to Disney World since middle school and he hasn't been since he was five years old. I'm not sure he "remembers the magic," so I'm really excited for him to see it all over again as an adult.

When we return, I have a long list of things I want to do this summer. None of them are earth shattering. They are pretty mundane, but that's how I like to spend these months away from work. It helps me to recuperate and feel like a human again.

There are a few places I want to eat. I love going out to lunch over the summer so holla if you want to join!!
1) Charlotte's Confections (on Wilmington Island)
2) Starland Cafe
3) Joe's Homemade


There are also a few new thrifty/antique-y stores I'd l also like to try out...
1) "Sass" 37th/Abercorn
2) Picker Joe's on 41st & ....something
3) Pinch of the Past on Whitaker & Victory

I've never been to the boutique E.J. Scandals in Sandfly. I know is been around for awhile but I've just never made it in. That will be changing soon.

Another plan I have is to do some coffee shop blogging. Foxy Loxy has an interesting atmosphere so I might make that a weekly gig. We'll see.

Getting my passport is on the to-do list. I'm not a world traveler by any stretch of the imagination, but it would be nice to have on hand.

There is a place on Bull & Henry called The Savannah Community Arts Center ( I think ). A friend told me about how they offer all types of different classes there. She did a metal working class and I was eyeing the bracelets she made. I wanna learn!

My back porch is asking for a citrus tree to add to it's collection of flowering plants, veggies, and herbs. I'm thinking lemon or lime.


The Savannah Food Co-Op used to be something I was really into for local produce and somehow I got out of the habit. It takes a little planning because they are only open on Thursdays as far as I know. Someone please tell me if that changed, but I would like to start using them again. I am also going to use Davis Produce to get some fruits for juicing. I've been off the juicing bandwagon for awhile now and I need to hop back on.

I was told about using Polyurethane spray as a sealant on painted furniture so I'm going to spend a day roaming around at Ace Hardware on Wilmington to see what I can find. Talk about the happiest place on earth....I could get lost in that store.

Savannah Furniture Consignments and Two Women & Warehouse will also be getting some attention from me this summer.

Josh finds all kinds of cool music on NPR Tiny Desk Concerts. You can YouTube it... lots of artist play small gigs in this radio show looking room. I always love hearing live music.

Also...today I went to Big Lots for a few last minute Disney trip items. That place is CHEAP and they have a little bit of everything. My mindset of "I don't need a basket because I'm grabbing some rain ponchos" trip, turned into me juggling trail mix, kitty litter, cucumber face wipes, etc.....$26 later. I'll be back next time, Big Lots. With a buggy.

Last Minutes of April

This morning I was reading my favorite blog and re-realizing the similarities I had with the writer. She talked about the importance of noise. Being an introverted homebody, yet not able to focus or feel fulfilled in her work when she is alone and the house is quiet.  Here is the link if you can relate:

http://www.flowerpatchfarmgirl.com/2015/04/the-importance-of-noise.html

In certain ways, I feel much the same...especially when it comes to my work environment. With summer approaching and the school year wrapping up, I'm feeling even more ready to get the heck out the door at the end of each day.

Example: I got a Snickers blizzard after work today, ate it on the way home, and immediately crawled in bed for a nap. My nap lasted until my sister called at 7:57 PM and freaked me out.  I thought I was late for work. I thought I had slept through the night and it was a new day. First there was panic and then sweet relief when she assured me that it was Thursday evening, not Friday morning. All this to say- I'm thoroughly exhausted. A break from work is in order. 

But when the end finally arrives, something coincidental happens. I'm lost. I miss the routine of my day. I suppose I find a strange peace in the buzz of the classroom, of papers rustling, scissors cutting, quieting a tattle tale, answering a nagging question. Same goes for the never ending paperwork that my job requires. As I try to type up the ever official and important documents, I pray to my lucky starts that I could have a moment without hearing my name repeated 5 times in a row or a tiny finger tapping me on the shoulder. But when they are gone, my motivation goes out the window. The effort it takes to stay focused on the task increases x10. Maybe it feels more urgent if I am writing in the midst of something else....multi- tasking if you will. It lights a fire under me & I feel a sense of accomplishment.  

The same also happens with my writing.  I need a certain amount of noise to churn out what's floating around in my head. Same way I need some white noise in the background to sleep at night (thank you, Honeywell rotating tower fan.) Anyway, FlowerPatchFarmGirl' s blog spoke straight to my heart this morning. As introverted as I am, I still thrive from connection with others. Its human nature I suppose.

Fan Club

I just joined a club & its kind of embarrassing as to which one. Okay, I'll tell you. I joined the DQ Blizzard of the month fan club. I've been all about the MyFitnessPal app lately, very diligently counting calories. Somehow on Sunday I ended up with lots of leftover calories. It happened in the middle of my yoga class. I realized that Dairy Queen was on my direct path home. It consumed my mind for the last half of the class. When that glorious moment came & it was finally time to order my blizzard, I quickly chose the Blizzard of the Month and stuck to my decision. No wavering.

Grasshopper Mousse Pie. It was better than I had even imagined. Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream, graham cracker crust crumbles, chocolate chunks, and whipped cream.

Trying to be as devoted to MyFitnessPal as possible, *nerd alert* I went to the DQ website and took copious notes about the serving sizes and calories of each Blizzard flavor. I've got to at least earn my calories, ya know?

You thought I was kidding... but no. This list will probably stay in my wallet. Never know when I might need a quick reference! Plus...if you know me, you know that I like to go in order and check them off.  :)