Namaste Notes

My sister- in- law recently told me she doesn’t want to do a blog.  When I persisted, she said it was because everyone always tries to make their seem life perfect and beautiful and no one is realistic.  So I thought I’d take this feedback to heart in writing about our recent camping trip.

Here’s what I might have written before:  2 weekends ago we went camping to Priest Lake, which is in northern Idaho (about 1 1/2 hours north of Coeur d’Alene).  We brought with us my two nieces, Abbey and Lauren, so we had 5 kids under the age of 9 between Joel and I.  We also invited some friends of ours who have 4 of their own kids under the age of 8.  The scenery was beautiful and the lake was clear.  The kids loved being able to ride their bikes around the trails, make smores, digging in the sand and being one with nature.  We took a day trip out to the most beautiful place on earth.  There were rocks to climb and water to play in…  what more could you ask for?  It was a great weekend.

Now, while all this is true there is more to the story.  It is true- we did have a great weekend.  The kids did have a fantastic time.  The scenery was beautiful.  But here’s what was left out of the story. 

We were 3 hours late getting to the campsite.  Driving into the campsite I asked Joel if he remembered to pick up the 2 extra dutch ovens we were supposed to borrow for the weekend.  He responded that he did not remember.  So we had one Dutch oven the whole weekend to cook for 13 people which required more Dutch Oven cleaning than you want to know about. 

There were more mosquitos than I have seen for a LONG time… so many the kids came back with bites up and down their bodies.  The lake was freezing, but I have to say that I still jumped off the dock with the kids a couple times.  There was so much dirt on my kids the whole weekend that I could barely recognize them. 

With all the good and the bad of camping, these are good memories.  The first night I went to bed and said to Joel, “I’m not sure I really like camping.  I think I’d like it much better without all the dirt.  I’d really like it if I had a camper.”  He laughed but I was serious.  But the kids had so much fun and when all is said and done, I will always have these pictures of a great camping trip.

We had twin bunnies join our family!  For Taylor’s birthday he got the pet he has always wanted; 2 little baby bunnies.  These poor bunnies have been loved and kissed and squeezed more than I’m sure they ever wanted.

On June 9 we went to a bunny farm to pick out some bunnies.  Taylor picked out a white one with brown spots for himself and a white one with black spots for Benson.  Taylor named his bunny “Cocoa” and Benson insisted on naming his bunny “Bob”.  We tried telling him Bob was a girl bunny but he insisted her name was to be Bob.

We’ve had the bunnies for 2 weeks now.  They have been carried around, given piggy back rides, chased around the yard, taught how to do flips, given rides on the swing and the Power Wheel, pushed in a stroller and many other tricks (some of which were not in the bunnies’ best interest).  We had to make a rule of no bunnies on the trampoline because that was something the boys really wanted to do.    For now the bunnies are loved and given all of Taylor and Benson’s attention.  Joel and I are just waiting for the time they are forgotten and we have to start saying, “Go play with the bunnies!”

Joel and I just got back from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.  We left our kids in the hands of my parents and brother and sister in law and headed to the beach.  We were gone for 5 days and 5 nights.  We had an incredible experience where we were able to live a few days of quiet, unscheduled days. 

Yes, the vacation was quiet and relaxing.  But not initially.  Immediately after we went through customs we were bombarded by people.  They wanted to sell us a taxi ride to our hotel.  One friendly man showed us over to a counter where someone was waiting to give us “tourist information”.  After speaking to this person for 10 minutes about the different sites and good restaurants he proceeded to try and get us to go to a timeshare presentation.  This was the first of many attempts during our stay in Mexico.  We told him we weren’t interested so he pushed and pushed.  We walked away only to be bombarded by more timeshare representatives.  Finally we were able to find a taxi being driven by someone who wasn’t actually selling a timeshare.  They took us to our hotel where we were finally able to breath. 

We stayed at an all- inclusive hotel that was right on the beach.  We didn’t have to leave our hotel all weekend if we didn’t feel like it. Our first full day we went on an all day adventure trip.  This trip would take a posting by itself so the short version is:  We rode on a speedboat through the bay, Jeep on the backroads, mule up the mountain, flew through the skies on zip lines, repelled down waterfalls, and last but not least saw beautiful scenery of the Mexican mountains.

My first time on a Mexican bus was an experience, to say the least.  I had to get on while the driver was driving away because he was too impatient for me to get all the way on.  Once I was on, we noticed you could see the road through the floor.  The bus drives at an incredible speed and stops for no one, young or old.  He barely stops long enough for someone to get on and then accelerates before they sit down or even get a firm footing.  To get off, you simply stand up and wait by the door.  If the bus driver doesn’t see you, you yell at him to let you off.

Most of the time we simply laid at the beach or played in the ocean.  We rode on a kayak in the ocean and body surfed the waves.  While relaxing at the beach or whenever we wandered into town, people would come over with their merchandise for sale and say to us, “Over here honeymooners.  Almost free.”  Whatever it was they were selling…  necklaces, T-Shirts, hammocks, bracelets…  it was always “almost free”.  I think we were targeted even more by the salesmen since we were one of the very few Americans travelling in Mexico.  (Side note:  Americans should feel totally safe to travel to Mexico.  Go, go, go!)  We didn’t have the heart to tell them we aren’t exactly honeymooners or that we wouldn’t want their stuff even if it was free.  We just kept walking and laughed to ourselves every time we heard “Over here honeymooners- Almost free!”

You heard it right.  After three years of working at Ironwood Athletic Club and World Gym I have turned in my resignation this week.  I have taught 4-5 classes a week for 3 years so I figure I have taught around 780 classes, give or take a few.  I have taught through a pregnancy and illnesses.  I have served as the director of the pilates and yoga department.  I have made many friends among clients, members of my classes and co-workers.  Many of these friendships will last a lifetime.

But I decided it was time in my life to make a change.  The Salvation Army Kroc Center opened in Coeur d’Alene this week and they offered me a job as a group fitness instructor.  Once I saw the building and the amount of faith and devotion it took to bring this community center to Coeur d’Alene, I knew I needed to be a part of it.  I knew I needed to be a part of a center whose focus was being an example of Jesus Christ at all times.  I also knew I needed my children to be a part of this attitude and environment.  (Plus, they really wanted to be a part of the huge indoor pools and playgrounds, and climbing wall).

About the time I was offered a job at the Kroc, I was also offered a job at Parkside Fitness for the summer.  This is a beautiful yoga and pilates studio in downtown Coeur d’Alene.  The owner is one of my closest friends, Kara Lemmon.  I am so excited to be able to have a place to teach yoga in an environment that is one of acceptance and dedication to yoga.

As a sidenote, my class schedule will be on my blog in the next couple days.  Check back and come see at the Kroc Center (www.kroccda.org) or at Parkside Fitness (www.parksidefitness.com).

So I say goodbye to Ironwood Athletic Club with sadness for all the people I will miss, but also with anticipation for the people I have yet to meet.  I hope I have touched lives in my classes at the club, and I sincerely hope I have lives yet to touch at the Kroc Center and Parkside Fitness.  Live in the moment.

  I recently decided to attempt the Coeur d’Alene triatholon this August.  Its an Olympic- size triatholon and I figured, why not?  I’m not getting any younger.  So I bought a road bike with clipless pedals on Craigslist a few months ago. 

We had snow until a few weeks ago so I haven’t been able to get on the bike and try it out.  But I teach Spinning at a health club so I figured, how hard could it really be?  My Spinning class had warned me that its much easier to get your cleats out of the pedals on a stationary Spinning bike than a moving bike.   I knew a fall was inevitable but I secretly hoped the grace I have learned from being a Yogi would carry over to my road bike.  Yeah, right!

So I started out on my first adventure with clipless pedals Friday night with Joel.  We got a babysitter and went riding by ourselves.  I was proud of myself that I was able to keep up with him, but every time we slowed to a stop I panicked.  Each time I yelled to Joel for help and barely got my foot out in time.  I’m sure it was good entertainment for cars driving by, but it seemed the further we went the better I got. 

On our way home we stopped at Joel’s brother Chris’ house.  I was standing there talking to Chris with my right foot out of my pedal thinking I had this clipless pedal thing down.  All of a sudden I realized my bike was starting to lean to the left.  I tried to get my foot out but the next thing I knew I was breaking my fall with my left knee on concrete and my right foot got caught in my pedal.  It was somewhat less than graceful.  Chris offered me a band-aid, but you can’t put a band-aid on pride.   

Despite the minor set-back I had so much fun riding.  I loved the wind rushing past me.  I loved climbing the hills and looking at the scenery.   As I was riding I felt relaxed and free.  Somewhat like the feeling I get in Yoga.  I was out of the gym and in nature and I loved it.  I felt my body and mind connect and a sense of euphoria came around me because of it.

The moral of the story is…  Get out and ride.  You will fall but get back out there and start over.  Just like Yoga and life.  Not every pose or every situation is perfect.  But remember its all about the journey, not the destination.  Life is about how we handle the falls, not about how we fell.  Now that’s deep.  Someone should quote me on that.  Just don’t quote me when I’m the one doing the falling.   ;)