23 Feb :: just things to say

Okay, this is the home stretch of winter.

Six luxurious weekends of "nothing much doing". Until April, yes.

I'm as happy as a clam.

I have plenty to read.

I have plenty to cook.

I have plenty to knit.

As much as I love spring, I'm in no rush yet for the busy-ness of that season-to-come. I've practiced a good fair bit of "present moment" and "relaxing into the moment" this winter and I'm quite proud of myself. Although don't be fooled, often my idea of "relaxing" is doing dishes, sweeping the floor, and folding laundry -- I am very much a busybody Grammy about the house! But I've learned to let some of it go sometimes for the sake of John and I, and really ... myself.

I'm being inspired by a friend who sticks to her three workouts a week religiously and both looks and feels great. I was going about six times a week, a bit overkill. I will scale back and make the the three really count!

Want to drink more holy basil and green teas.

Want to knit more, always that. Bought more yarn tonight to make two more prayer shawls not as prayer shawls but just because they are so pretty and warm and cozy! Great for traveling, too, I think (thinking wistfully back upon many train rides taken).

I'm absolutely loving my "job" right now (more like calling), more every day especially since being so inspired at the AMI conference in Florida. It took a while for the benefits I gained to really sink in and once I started using them in practice it's helped me to self-reflect, to see myself even in the moment as if from the outside as I interact with the children. I'm happy here though it is physically and emotionally grueling work.

Vegetarian. Trying to get back on that path. The vegan thing just ... fizzled. It's not for me right now. The very occasional stubborn bout of meat-eating has hung on but I just can't defeat the idea of eating "dead" things. And the cruelty ... ah. I have so many ethical issues. We loved a homemade lentil soup last night with slices of fried Tofurkey beer brat thrown in. So simple, satisfying, and super delicious. It's amazing what people buy processed.

Went through a winter doldrums moment for a week or two or maybe even three, accompanied by a cold. It's gone now, my resolve and cheer have slowly returned, but steadily. Grateful for "me" again. Was on the verge of taking SJW again but good to know it's there if I need it, it always works.

I want to write letters to my friends. Must get on that horn. I have no idea when I'll visit Connecticut again. I like it less each time. The south/midwest really do suit me more.

Contemplating a day trip plus hike over spring break, also sewing lessons in summer. Wondering if anyone will buy horseback riding lessons as a wedding present ;-)

The wedding "planning" if you can call it that, is crawling but at least it's a go. The major stuff, yeah, we'll figure it out this month and next. We have our places (visiting both tomorrow), I will soon have my dress, and the color samples for dress are going out to the bridesmaids. I also have to send the "save the date" info to my awesome pal Bonnie who's illustrating them for me. Then, hopefully by the end of April, the invites will be OUT!! I have no idea how to craft a wedding registry but apparently Amazon has a universal wishlist. Cool. We will have all sorts of crazy things on it like camping gear and vitamix. haha.

Oh this is such a bunch of precious ramble, I am sorry! I can never seem to get this "earth mama crunchy girl with perfect pictures" blog right. Thanks for reading anyhow. I think I need to add a Nikon to that list above!

Love and light,

K.

8 February :: with March already in sight

vegan coconut-blood orange-ginger smoothie, for healing

This short month certainly feels that way, with both John and I being sick (I'm home today from school with a gross cold, but John is thankfully back at school after the flu), an upcoming train trip to Florida for a Montessori conference, and parent-teacher conference prep. So, I'm looking forward to March, my self-declared MONTH of simplicity, with FIVE grand weekends of living simply and taking it slow.

vegan butternut squash pasta

My week of simplicity went well, but was fraught with me being very busy around the home due to one of us being down. Probably contributed to making me sick, too. I am in a bit of winter doldrums, have been getting to the gym regularly and noticing changes which feels great but John and I have struggled to find time to spend together (really we just were prioritizing other things which are also important to us individually) and I have been terrible about menu planning, often cooking something up on the spur of the moment or throwing a Boca burger into the oven. It feels lazy and uninspired, but sometimes feels necessary to achieve other things. We've done quite a bit of takeaway too, also not my feel-good strategy. I'm hoping I can take Heather's upcoming Whole Foods workshop and get reinvigorated! Basically, the days now just feel so compressed, because they are shorter, dark comes sooner, and we just have very limited before and after school down time. We are not "worker bee" types, I do work very hard at and love what I do but the five-day structure, "grind" if you will, has always been an imbalance for me. I value home life and activity and personal time very much. In fact, I think i NEED that time to feel whole.

So, yes, before I go too negative, March. Beautiful, sweet March. I'm still crazed with the knitting bug, but not allowing myself daily time for it. I do go to yarn club across the bay on Wednesday nights and I love that. I need to make sure to work that in somewhere. Like wake up early (always so difficult for me, as when I wake up it's still dark), sit quietly with coffee, knit a few rows. Same going for after school, maybe I just need to sometimes sit in a chair and knit a few rows and reflect upon the day. Those aren't bad ideas, right?

AMAZING vegan aloo gobi dish with spiced chickpeas on top

I have been able to get off the computer much more, that feels wonderful. Especially escaping from Facebook. When you have just over 100 "friends" it's much more manageable (and boring). Love that. I do have such a love-hate relationship with the Technology Revolution.

March will be full of DOING, but it will be about DOING with John. With food. With yarn. With reading books. With getting out and appreciating nature more. With sleeping long hours each night to feel rested and ready to wake up in the early mornings to give a little back to myself. With continuing to change my body for the better through gym workouts, yoga, pilates. I never thought I was a "gym" person. I was wrong. It's a wonderful "healthy addiction" but you must listen and not feel guilty when your body tells you to pull back. I would like to reconnect a little more deeply by writing some close friends. I'd like to pull the wedding together just a little more, but I'll let April start things swinging with all of its spring energy (and six months before our date!).

For now, I'm going to hang out in the arms of March. It's a good month for doing so, don't you think?

Also, any wake-up-early-in-the-dark and enjoy some "me" time strategies are highly appreciated.

love and light,

k.

doing what we can :: 3 February

arsenal

Unfortunately, this is a bit of what our little abode is like right now ...

The flu has reared its ugly head at John and he's been on the couch now for two days completely unable to do much of anything. So, I went to the store and got what we needed and with a mixture of total rest, tons of liquid, aspirin, and a few natural remedies we are trying to get him back on his feet asap. So far, I've escaped a bullet .... this one's a nasty one, folks. Fever is no joke.

This week has good timing for my "working vacation." I did all I could not to schedule ANY appointments after school each day (there is an early one tomorrow), all I want to do is come take care of my home life, work out devotedly at the gym, knit, read, and head to bed at a reasonable hour each night. It's terrible having to wake up when it is still dark outside, it seems no matter how early you turn in in the winter time, the body just wants to hibernate until it is light, case in point I went to bed last night at 10:30 but did not fully wake up until 8 when the sun was streaming around the thermal block curtain liners. That's almost 10 hours .... hard to get on a weeknight unless you are disciplined. I think this is a good week to take it easy and "sweat it out" at the gym, don't you? Good timing. Yes. I like when that happens. 

I have a few pictures to share with you and in the spirit of keeping things simple, I'll keep this short so I can pick up some knitting for a bit. I promise to share finished projects with you! Don't bate your breath though, these humdingers will take a while. 

Enjoy your week and do remember to slow down and just "breathe" as necessary. It's a wonderful gift to give yourself! 

Blessings and light, 

K.