Kumquats and such

On Saturday, March 5th, the girls participated in their first 1-mile fun run! Although Reagan logged hundreds of miles and completed many races in her first two years of life, they were all from the comfort of the stroller. I have been itching to get her signed up for a race now that she's a bit older. And Savannah only stops moving to watch TV and to sleep, so I figured she would be up for the challenge. I got an email for the Gunston 5k and 1-Mile Fun Run, and jumped at the opportunity. They looked so cute with their official bibs! Both girls did great and completed the mile without complaint and without being carried. We were so pleased with them! Here are a couple pictures from before the race.  After we got home, they immediately did what they like best...watched the iPad that Jessica gave us. They are total addicts and need to be physically pried from the device to stop their little brains from turning to mush. But when they sit together peacefully watching a ...

 My final day began again with a guided mediation and a hatha yoga class. If I had the time, this is how I would choose to start every day. And although I suppose I do have the time, it's a matter of prioritizing and finding the important things in life. For me, spending time with the girls and Jason takes priority. That, combined with work, upkeep of the home, sleep, and garbage TV, that leaves little time for meditating and practicing yoga at home.  After breakfast, I skipped a class given by a different monk and opted for another hike. The grounds were just too pretty to resist...plus my back was hurting from all the sitting:) I hiked down to the LOTUS again and then wandered up to Kailash, a beautiful spot to reflect on my brief stay at Yogaville. It was refreshing and rejuvenating. I'm so grateful to Jason for giving me this wonderful gift. Time away makes me a better wife and mother, and it is appreciated more than words can express.  I ended my stay by w...

The day started early with a 6am guided mediation followed by an hour and fifteen minute hatha yoga class. Then we went to breakfast. The dining hall had special tables for those who wanted to eat in silence. I've never been one for solo dining, and when those occasions do arise, I always have a book or my phone in tow. I decided to push my limits of comfort for the weekend, choosing to dine at these silent tables without any distraction. Surprisingly, it was peaceful, I ate more mindfully, and enjoyed the experience. After breakfast, we had a class with one of the resident monks on how to integrate yoga into our daily lives. The beauty of the welcome weekend was that although a schedule was provided, we were free to partake in whichever programs we desired, and skip those that didn't speak to us. After the class, instead of going to watch a video of Swami Satchidananda, I decided to go for a hike. Again, it was well below freezing, but I bundled up and headed out among the ...

For Christmas, I asked Jason for one thing in particular...a gift certificate to Yogaville. Yup, there's an actual place called Yogaville, who knew?! He splurged and got me a certificate that covered a single room for a welcome weekend yoga retreat. Yogaville is just outside Charlottesville, about a 3 hour drive from Mt Vernon. I decided to go over a long weekend, working on Friday, and leaving around lunchtime. It was an easy and relaxing drive. I arrived and checked in at the main center with just enough time to find my room, change over and get to my first class. The accommodations were minimal, but perfect.  My room for the weekend. The bathroom was just off to the back right of this photo. When I arrived, it was freezing, but the heat kicked in and it was perfect by the time I returned to the room. My first class, hatha yoga, was a mixture of asanas and pranayama - poses and breathing - ending with yoga nidra - deep relaxation. What a great start! The welcome w...

New parenting advice tells us that we shouldn't tell our kids to "clean their plates" because it will ruin their body's ability to know when it's full. Horse poop. We serve the girls an appropriate amount, and if they want dessert, they darn well better clean their plates! I grew up with a rule that left you eating leftovers for breakfast, lunch and dinner the following day until that plate was clean. Just ask Julie, she quickly learned to swallow whole bites of food with a swig of milk in order to leave the table:)  But those who follow the clean plate rule are handsomely rewarded...with ice cream cones on this particular occasion. They were even topped with sprinkles, but those were gone before I could get the girls to "say cheese!" You can catch a glimpse of Savannah's "geographic tongue" here. It seems to have gotten less noticeable lately, but guess it's still there. Glad it doesn't bother her. And this is how ...