Yoga in Chicagoland

(Note: Chicago Bean pics below!)

I haven't posted in a while because I left the other Ms and went to Chicagoland with my friend and fellow yogi, Jenn, to attend the Midwest Yoga Conference. I really didn't know what to expect of it. It turned out to be better and more enriching than I could have imagined!

Even being a yoga teacher, I have the same preconceived notions about the greater world of yoga that many people have: that it is full of overly serious people wrapping their legs around their heads and chanting. Well, my world was pleasantly rocked! Overall, my teachers were down-to-earth and approachable and several of them were funny! They are clearly living in the real world.

I experienced everything from a fast moving class set to all kinds of music (U2 and Marvin Gaye, anyone?) to a class where we held poses until my hips screamed. But I feel like I learned the benefits of these different approaches, and hopefully I can integrate all of this into my own yoga and teaching and life. Most of all, I realized that what is attractive to me about yoga is that it cultivates a quality that I've always valued in the people in my life (that's all of you): thoughtfulness. Thoughtfulness in how we treat other people, of course, but also thoughtfulness about our own approach to life, about the choices we make. Plus, yoga is just frakkin' good for your body!

I'm sure this is more than any of you were interested in knowing!! But a quick plug for one of my favorite presenters, Matt Sanford, Volvo for Life Award. He is a paraplegic who found that yoga connected him back to the paralyzed part of his body, a part that the medical establishment (with good intentions) told him to pretend just wasn't there. So he's started a foundation to improve the overall delivery of health care and to help para- and quadriplegic people live a better life. Check him out.

The other Ms seem to have survived just fine without me! In fact, they lived it up by partyin' all weekend at cookouts, celebrating summer and the beautiful weather! Jenn and I couldn't be in Chicagoland without heading downtown for sushi and fun at Millenium Park. Can you tell I loved the Bean? Chicago rocks...

Innaugural Iowa River trip

Finally! We took our canoe north to a nice part of the Iowa River for a six-mile trip with some friends. This was our first river trip, and we had a great time!! We had a good current, and we saw lots of rocks, birds and one cool snake (I think we identified it as a fox snake).

On the way home, the wind nearly ripped the canoe off our car. In the paper this morning, I discovered that the storm that produced the killer tornado yesterday passed right where we had been, so I'm grateful wind was all we had to worry about. The town of Parkersburg was mostly destroyed. It wouldn't be Memorial Day without tornadoes around here.

Does this freak you out?

"What freaks me out...is that strawberries look like noses." - M4

Poem for Indy

Indy, oh Indy, how I love thee,
Even if you're in the AARP,
Alas, your movie by me can't be seen,
'Til I ditch the kids, cuz it's PG-13.

Warriors and weddings

The kids and M2 had a great time at Grandma and Grandpa's this past weekend with all the uncles and aunts! We visited for my cousin's wedding...unfortunately M1 had to stay home for Commencement.

The kids were inspired by Ninja Warrior to stage some competitions, and Aunt L and Aunt N devised some tricky tasks at the local park.


We also celebrated Aunt C's 30th birthday! Woo hoo!! Awww...you're still just a young chicky, C. We had a party on Grandma and Grandpa's fabulous porch.

The wedding was lots of fun, too, although I must admit it was the most tattooed wedding party I've ever seen! Guess I'm just getting old, man. My cuz was looking 40s glamorous, and I fully expect to see the groom on Top Chef one of these days!

It was a fun, exhausting weekend and over waaaaaaaaaaay too soon. I wish I could just shrink the distance between California and here!

Soviet youth

Took some pics and videos at gymnastics last week. The kids have a sweet Russian teacher named "Miss Olga."

Clever...and infuriating

At this time of year, there is a daily discussion (read: argument) with M3 over whether a tank top is appropriate outerwear. Personally, I think 50 degrees is not warm enough for spaghetti straps.

Anyway, yesterday I told M3 to throw on a sweatshirt over her tank top. She pretty much ignored me. A while later she came into the kitchen with a sweatshirt, put it on the floor and started throwing a ball onto it repeatedly. I asked her what she was doing, and she said, "Throwing on a sweatshirt!" Uh huh.