Chillin' Children

This summer, I've had the privilege of teaching these little ones yoga in my home, and at the park. These are just a couple of memories my dear friend Iva caught on camera.

 It all started with teaching our neighborhood joy school children a yoga class at the end if the school year.  I was assigned to teach them the letter "Y."  So, we had a 30 min. yoga practice, colored the letter "Y," and sang a song about it.  Then we had healthy snacks starting with the word "Yummy." When it was finished, I was amazed at how well these young 3 & 4year-olds had done!  I didn't think they would have the attention span for it.   Honestly, I didn't think I'd have the patience for it--well, they proved me wrong.

Next, I was asked to come teach yoga one day for Aiden's kindergarten class.  His school teacher happened to be a student of mine, and was gracious enough to encourage the children and help them along.  Again, this classroom full of little ones ages 5-6 were astoundingly attentive, and it was an absolute blast. 

I began gathering some ideas and materials that could help me continue this for my boys.  I was not confident I could take on a large group, since I have so little experience with kids other than my own.  So the class was and still is small and very manageable.

We set up the class to have 30-40 minutes of yoga, followed by a story time and a snack. At first is was as if all the pent up energy and emotion (of my boys in particular) would never allow us any peace in the room.  I started to think maybe they were not going to be able to handle having "Mom as a Teacher."  Moving forward though, there were little glimpses here and there that would give me the patience to keep trying.  Then, my boys began to spontaneously show me yoga poses when we were on a walk, or at the store, or at Grandma's house.  The boys wanted to join me on my mat in the mornings when I was enjoying my own practice, so they would run to get another mat or towel. (Aiden rolled up his beach towel in his room and often got it out for yoga time.)  This was not entirely new except for that Liam was no longer climbing all over me, (as much,) but attempting to do things on his own

We moved the class to an outdoor setting at the park. It was beautiful and shady under the cottonwood trees, overlooking Utah Lake. The children would practice listening time.  As we sat still and unbelievably quiet for nearly a whole two minutes a peaceful place was created. If there were any outbursts, it just seemed to dissipate into the sky. The children were joyful, and willing to try new things. 

We loved little Isabel, Sophia, Krista, and others when they would join. By the end of the summer, friendships were made we never expected, and we had all learned together.  The seasons are changing, so I look forward to having a few more classes with the children at the park, and a few more times I can return to the dock for my own quiet yoga practice.  (Yes, I still practice on the docks near my home.)
Yoga alone, yoga with others, and yoga with children.  I love it all.

Chemistry in the Kitchen

Nature Walk Salad:

My husband is easy to please. I’m grateful for that.  He announced to our family at dinner one evening that this was his favorite salad. “It’s like a nature walk in Spring-time,” he said.  I had to laugh.  What a poetic compliment! (Although the salad really is more in season at the end of the Summer.)

1 Head of Green Leaf Lettuce

1 Cup Fresh Basil Leaves, Cut into Small Strips

3 Ripe Peaches, Peeled, and Sliced

½ Cup Cucumbers, Peeled, and Diced

2 Garden Tomatoes, Sliced, and Halved

3/4 Cup Salted Cashew Pieces

Dressing:

½ Cup Grapeseed Oil

4 Tbs. Fresh Lemon Juice

4 Tbs. Sherry Cooking Wine

¼ tsp Real Salt

A generous Dash of Black Pepper

Learning and Toleration~

Connor allows me to make mistakes and experiment in the kitchen, and elsewhere. There have been so many times where I have tried to make something that failed, or wasn't quite right.  He's my taste-tester.  A true loving critic to tell me when something tastes good enough that most people wouldn't notice upfront how healthy it is.  When we first got married, I didn't know how to make anything, but he still raves to this day how I spent hours learning how to make Chicken Parmesan just for him for one of our first meals.  I grew up appreciating good food.  I grew up wanting to experiment as well.  (Maybe I inherited that trait from my Grandfather Anderson, the Chemist.)  My two favorite toys when I was little were first, my easy bake oven, and later, my chemistry set. 

Don't be afraid to make mistakes in cooking, or anything else.  I'm grateful that my family tolerates my habit of experimenting on everything--making myself and them the guinea pigs most of the time.  There is always something strange on the countertop--something growing, or fermenting, or taking over the kitchen with some new aroma.  Expectations and demands are low from Connor, and he's always appreciative when things turn out.  His willingness to try anything, and thank me for what I do makes it a lot easier to keep trying new things, and easier for our boys to do the same.  It's in this process of testing and trying that I've learned so much, and will continue to do so.  So take Thomas Edison's example to heart, and realize that there are many failures to one great success.  People all around us make things happen by their diligent patience more often than by some gift of luck.

"I have not Failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." ~Thomas Edison

Summer Squash Bread

Summer Squash Bread  When the zuchinni, crooknecks, and yellow summer squashes are in abundance, we are always making zucchini everything, right?  I have many such recipes, but this one is a healthier version, and  just sweet enough.  The apricots are a nice variation, and the spices are more noticeable because they are not masked by the sweetness of refined sugar.  If using yellow squash, make sure to remove the seeds, and grate more finely in a food processor.  Drain the excess water from the squash to avoid too much liquid in the recipe.  There are times I will use part white flour in this recipe to make a lighter loaf if it's not convenient to freshly grind the wheat.  Canola Oil may be used instead of grapeseed, but make sure it's cold pressed, and a non-GMO version.

3/4 Cup Grapeseed Oil (for it's buttery taste)
1 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
1 Cup Ground Sucanat
3 Eggs, Lightly Beaten
2 tsp Almond Extract
2 Cups Raw Summer Squash, Grated, Drained, with Seeds Removed
3 Cups Whole White Wheat Flour, (freshly ground if possible--for lighter bread)
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Aluminum Free Baking Powder
1 tsp Redmond Real Salt
3 tsp Cinnamon
3 tsp Ground Nutmeg
1/2 Cup Pecans, Finely Chopped
1/2 Cup Dried Apricots, Chopped

Combine the oil, applesauce, sucanat, eggs, and almond extract in a mixing bowl.  Fold in the grated squash.  In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Slowly stir in the flour mixture into the squash mixture.  Fold in the chopped nuts and apricots.  Lightly grease and flour the sides of two bread pans.  Evenly distribute the batter to make two loaves.  Bake at 350F for 50-55 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool for 5 min. before removing from pans.  Use a knife around the outside edges to gently remove, and place on a cooling rack.

Happy Pregnancy

Prenatal Super Smoothie:  Want to feel happy, & energetic during pregnancy?  This is a great way to start the day. Calm your tummy with some enzymes from ginger, pineapple, and probiotics, raise your serotonin with avocado & banana, curb headaches with electrolytes from coconut water, lift out of lethargy with iron from limes & spinach, and feel sustained by the healthy protien, calories, and essential fats you need for two.  This recipe feeds four--(plus your growing baby.)

1 1/2 Frozen Bananas

1 Whole Avacado, Pitted & Peeled

1 Handful Fresh Cilantro or Parsley

Juice of 1 Fresh Lime (include a bit of rind if you don't mind the bitter taste)

1 inch of Fresh Ginger Root, Peeled

Generous Handful of Spinach

1 Scoop Raw Sprouted Vanilla Protein Powder

11/2 Cups Coconut Water

1 Cup Plain Yogurt

1-11/2 Cups Pineapple (add ice if not frozen)

1 Tbs. Fish, Flax, or Coconut Oil

High Iron Smoothie:  Here is another great smoothie during pregnancy--(or other times when women tend to be low in iron.) Recharge and cleanse your bloodstream with high iron spinach, blueberries, & beets. 

1 Cup Cranberry Juice

3/4 Cup Plain Yogurt

1/3 Frozen Banana

2 Handfuls Spinach

1/2 Cup Blueberries (add ice if fresh)

5-7 Large Strawberries with the Greens

1-2 Medium Fresh Beets, Peeled, & Sliced. (I sometimes use 4-5 small canned beets instead)

1 Scoop Raw Sprouted Vanilla Protein Powder

Secret's Out~
So you probably guessed it-- we are expecting our third child!  My garden is growing this summer, and now so is our family.  We have spent so much more time together as a family than ever before.  We just celebrated Liam's 4th birthday, and Aiden turned 7 back in May.  They are taking swimming lessons together, enjoying Aiden's Tee-Ball league, and kids yoga classes at the park  Liam loves his art projects at preschool, and playing with all the neighborhood friends.  I've performed as a singer/songwriter for many outdoor concert series this year as well.  Fireworks, the carnival, the rodeo, the water park, boating, fun centers, splash pads, cousins, swimming, fishing, and campfire dinners.  It's what summer is all about.  This morning in a yoga class I attended as a student, my attention was bought to the concept of where we put our energy, there we will reap our fruit.  I feel like I made the right decision to leave my employment and focus on my family.  Now, I can see the result of happier children, a healthy pregnancy, and a flourishing garden to feed us all. 

Dessert for Breakfast

Lemon Raspberry Yogurt Parfaits

This is a very tart dessert, so the graham crackers and whipped cream even that out nicely. Make sure to get the Grahams that contain no hydrogenated oils or corn syrups. You can feel good about the probiotics, high vitamin C, antioxidants, and the endless benefits to a fresh lemon. Sometimes, we have this for breakfast!  Just substitute the crackers with some wholesome granola, and leave out the whipped cream. 

32 oz. Plain Organic Yogurt

4 Packets of Sweet Leaf Stevia Powder

Juice and the Grated Rind of 2 Large Lemons

1 lb. Fresh Washed Raspberries

9 Sheets Organic Whole Wheat Graham Cracker

Homemade Organic Whipped Cream (optional)

Crush the Graham Crackers in a large plastic zip bag, using a rolling pin--(my kids do this part for me.)  Combine the first 3 ingredients to make the lemon yogurt.  Mix till smooth and creamy. Layer in a small glass the graham cracker crumbs, then the lemon yogurt, then the raspberries. Do this twice.  Top with some homemade whipped cream. Serves 4

Learning to Love Bikram

Not for Me~
If something is in demand, I tend to sit back and wait to see if the fad will fade.  Just because everyone else is doing something, makes it more likely that I won't.  However, I'm learning that my pride is keeping me from some pretty amazing things.  I had a preconceived notion of what Bikram Yoga was.  Much of it was true, in that I always thought it would be so boring doing the same series of poses in the same order every time.  I also thought it might be potentially dangerous and psychologically straining to be in that kind of heat for that long of a time, not too mention I had heard stories about how strict they can be.  Generally I avoid "burning" too many calories, because I hate the idea of getting any skinnier, and also avoid wearing clothing that is that skimpy most of the time.  Oh--and the part about feeling nauseated, or potentially blacking out?  No thank you.  So you can see why I was hesitant. 
When I finally did give Bikram Yoga a try, it was while I was in Las Vegas with my husband, Connor.  He even came with me!  I mostly went out of curiosity, and because I knew the studio there was genuine.  The experience was not what I'd call fun, and since yoga for me has always been playful ground, this felt completely new.  The class was very strict.  We were not allowed to talk, drink any water inside the classroom, (am I really remembering that right?) nor could we wipe off our dripping sweat with a towel, (because it was a sign we were distracted) or leave the room for any reason.  Our instructor let us know we were committed.  I watched an older man lay down on the floor because he wasn't feeling well in the class.  Our instructor kept prodding him to get up and stay with the practice.  At one point, I felt a little queasy, so I sat out for a pose.  Connor and I were doing our best to do all the poses correctly, and our teacher was very attuned to making sure we stayed with her words exactly.  We made it through the practice together, looking at the clock near the end, trying to cast out claustrophobic thoughts.  I was so impressed with Connor for taking this intense practice the whole way.  The good part was when we left the studio, and drank our coconut water, we both noticed how good we felt.  It was amazing.  We both immediately craved to come back as soon as possible.  (In the locker room, someone complimented my "going against the grain," and I explained I was a playful Ashtanga girl.  I didn't even know what I had done that was so shockingly out of bounds...This Bikram stuff is so serious!)

Converted~

So, coming back to Bikram "as soon as possible" ended up being almost a whole year later.  It still didn't appeal to me much.  Then I started to hear all the talk going around about a new studio where you could try 21 days for 21 dollars.  This studio happened to be very close to where I live, so it was both cheap, and convenient.  I had just finished using my pass for Aerial Silks, so I thought, "Why not give Bikram a try?"  I talked my sister Heather into going with me.  She was just as skeptical as I was.  This was a very different experience.  We were allowed to take quick sips of water throughout the class, and I was allowed to wipe of my face with a towel. "Yes!" I thought. Then I noticed people were excusing themselves from class, and coming back into the room.  People left the class early as well.
There was still a sense of order.  We were expected to stay with the words of the teacher, so that everyone moves exactly together.  We were encouraged not to give in to discomfort or distraction, but it was so much better to be our own agents.  Think about it--if someone is forcing you to do something, are you really learning self disipline?  No.  In this free state of suggestion instead of strict commands, it felt like I wanted to try harder to stay in the room, ignore my thirst, my sweat, my discomfort.  I found that if I took on one pose at a time, I became completely present.  It didn't matter that we did the same poses every time anymore.  I started to really enjoy the physical and mental challenge.  My normal yoga attire was quite comfortable, and the heat was so relaxing.
Feeling lightheaded, or nauseated hardly ever happens now.  Attending these classes consistently now for 3 months has brought a whole new awareness to my yoga practice.  Also, I never thought I'd say this, but getting up at 5:30 a.m. to attend a 6:00 a.m. Bikram is one of the best ways to start the day.  Never have I thought getting up that early was healthy.  Especially to exercise.  Even when I'm getting paid to teach a class that early, I always regret it later in the day.  I always feel like my rhythm is off.  It seems like I always want to go back to bed for a nap all day, my appetite gets weird, and my digestion does too.  I believe in rising with the sun, and not before it.  (Unless it's to watch the sun rise, of course.)
Bikram is different.  When I'm done with the class, I've been in a hypnotic sleep-like trance for the last hour and a half.  My mind and body actually feel rejuvenated.  The feeling of being cleansed from the inside out is invigorating.  The effect it has on serotonin production, and endocrine system balancing is noticeable.   Maybe it's because of all the poses where we activate the thyroid gland through compression, in combination with the sweating out of toxins.  All the mood lifting, the clean feeling, the energetic cell vibration--you'd think you went and got baptized!  The more I partake of this practice, the more I can't live without it.  Now I understand the popular demand. 

Sowing Seeds

It's been a while since I posted on my blog,
but with good reason. Life has been undergoing
a change this spring.  I've been working hard
to get my life back into balance.

Instead of the natural fluidity that used to be most days,
things have felt forced, driven, and sometimes impossible.

It came time to really take a look at my priorities.

Working at the health food store as a wellness counselor
for over a decade has taught me more than I could ever imagine.
The friendships I have made there are most dear.  There is a
constant exchange of knowledge, opinions, thoughtfulness, and laughter.
Not to mention the access to things I need for my family, and myself to better our health.
Receiving answers to my own prayers, and at times having the opportunity to facilitate answers for others, makes it all feel like sacred ground.

I have to say this has been one of the most challenging decisions I've ever had to make, but I've decided to leave my employment.  Though it's been emotional and taxing, I am looking forward to what lies ahead!

There are promises I have made that I intend to keep---some on a deeply spiritual level.  

One thing that I can share is that I've felt inspired to grow a garden this year.  As we have been working in the yard together, we can all feel the change taking place.  Aiden took a deep breath and sighed a most happy and contented sigh as he said to me, "Mom, I think we're going to have a new life!"  I haven't told him or Liam much of what is going on, but our ties will be strengthened by this choice, and they can already sense it.

As we plant these little seedlings, I feel like I'm planting hope, and faith, and trust.  One of my favorite yoga instructors always ends her class with the words, "Let the earth support you."  She is implying that we need to detach from so much need to support ourselves. This is not to say we can just be lazy, but life slows down and feels less frantic when we simplify our needs, and trust that we will be supported.  So, here is my new sacred ground.