Wandering to my hearts content

Run Run Run.

2012-01-31T09:30:00.001-06:00

The current rotation....Asics needs to start making color!

Happy list Sunday:

2012-01-29T20:52:00.001-06:00

Chicken tikka masala
Almond granola in the oven
Windows cracked for the kitties
Car freshly washed
Lots of good viewing options
Mini nap
Feeling rested
No games all weekend
King of Queens on dvd

Echoes of Jingle Bells in January....

2012-01-25T13:11:00.001-06:00

Remember that time that I disappeared from blogging and never even posted anything about pretty much the entire month of December? Yeah, me too. Here's the Nordyke Christmas at a glance. Now that theres actually snow on the ground, it feels more like Christmas now than it did a month ago!

Christmas Eve:

Christmas Day:

Haven't killed him yet.....

2012-01-10T21:55:00.001-06:00

Friday was our five year wedding anniversary. Definitely doesn't feel like it. Weird for sure. We generally don't do big gifts, especially right after Christmas. And even moreso this year, with our big gift to ourselves being the trip to Egypt (that we have been saving up for since the wedding). But we had to do somethingto mark the occasion. So in true Nordyke fashion, it turned into a family dinner to Montage where we received a really sweet music box (5 years is wood) from my parents, as well as an anniversary book (time to think back to other anniversaries). Both Tim and I were pretty sick, so it was going to be low key anyway.

But Tim's gift to me had arrived a few days early. (Fine by me!) A cache of the Australian and New Zealand foods that we have been missing. I am ashamed to say how much of it is already gone mere days later.
2 boxes of Milo, 2 boxes of Sultanas, 4 packages of TRUE Tim Tams, and a bag of Jaffas. Absolutely fabulous.

What's funny is that he had tried to book us massages as his gift before ordering these. Only, the spa called him back to double check because I had already beat him to it as my gift. So he cancelled his and let me be the winner of thinking of it first and had to think of his own idea. I have to say though, as relaxing as our massages were yesterday, nothing beats a bowl of Milo.....

2012-01-04T17:45:00.001-06:00

I have to work a men's basketball game tonight (just like every other night of the week it seems). Not super thrilled. I'll just hold out hope that the halftime act doesn't show up so my dad will race out mid court and perform his "talent" act.

Mr Napkin Head.

Yes, Mr Napkin Head is his talent, and he likes to perform this act at as many family meals as he can. Even in public. He also watches The Holiday at least once a month. Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the court, Mr Napkin Head.

(Above picture is not Mr Napkin Head, usually we're laughing too hard to take a picture)

Places Slept: 2011.

2012-01-04T12:57:00.001-06:00

I'm a few days later than normal in posting, but seeing as though I still keep writing my dates with 2011, my head must still be back in last year. It wasn't a bad year, that's for sure. Especially for travel, we did quite a bit, I think enough that it just kind of tapered off. Probably due more to jobs than anything, but also in preparation for 2012 travels. It will be another big one! Now watch, I say that, and I'll end up staying home every weekend. Where did you go this year? Best place? Worst place?

2010
2009
2008

Home: Cedar Falls, IA
2/22: St Louis, MO
3/10: Moline, IL
3/11-3/18: Buena Vista, FL (Disney)
6/10: West Des Moines, IA
6/23: Cedar Rapids, IA
6/24: Over the Atlantic enroute to London
6/25: Nairobi, Kenya, Africa
6/26-29, Lake Naivasha, Kenya, Africa
6/30: Flamingo Hill Camp in Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya, Africa
7/1: Nairobi, Kenya, Africa
7/2: Over the Atlantic enroute to London
7/22: La Vista, NE
7/23-29: Copper Mountain, CO
8/18: Minneapolis, MN
8/19-20: Fargo, ND
8/30: Kent, OH
8/31-9/2: Boston, MA
9/3-Plymouth, MA
9/4-Boston, MA
9/5-Maumee, OH
12/11: Chicago, IL

2012 is here!

2012-01-03T18:40:00.002-06:00

This year's cat calendar! 2012 is the year of Disney felines. January brings lovely Myla as the Little Mermaid!

Only boys...

2011-12-24T23:11:00.001-06:00

DPP #24: Welcome to family Christmas. (Actual post to follow, but these kids exhaust me)

DPP #23: Simon Pegg is Awesome.

2011-12-23T23:22:00.003-06:00

I had an exhausting morning, but my afternoon was family filled at the flicks! I had some pretty decent expectations going in, and it definitely fulfilled them.

2011-12-22T22:42:00.002-06:00

DPP #22: Well, I just got home from a 3+ hour, six course dinner. I wasn't expecting it to take that long, but it DID photograph well.

DPP #21: Kitty Crinkley Chaos.

2011-12-21T22:02:00.003-06:00

Hyperactive cats + tissue & wrapping paper + fresh air = Complete Christmas Mayhem of a Hot Mess.

Just send my stuff!

2011-12-21T12:53:00.000-06:00

The postal service is really annoying me these days. First I get ripped off in mailing gifts off to people. One day a package is $1.88, and the next day, the same exact package is $2.22?! Boo that. My grandmother’s gift took an extra week to get to me after I paid extra for quick shipping, and the same with Tim’s. I spent extra for 2 day express, six days ago. And I find out today that they are just now shipping it. Ugh.

They think that putting out a free baked goods table while you wait in line at the post office is going to make up for it. No amount of M&M cookies makes me get my mail faster!

2011-12-20T22:45:00.003-06:00

DPP #20: Even my Panther Purple kicks didn't help at tonight's game. But the boys cheered them on anyway!

DPP #19: Pour some sugar free in meeeeeeee

2011-12-19T22:01:00.001-06:00

Protein shakes and coffee drinks just got a whole lot better.....

DPP #18: The fourth wiseman?

2011-12-18T22:17:00.002-06:00

I'd like to see you try and touch my baby Jesus.....

DPP #17: Scratch that, I want my own!

2011-12-17T23:59:00.001-06:00

The illusion of sharing....because actually sharing a Scratch cupcake would be a Christmas miracle!

DPP #16: Good Friday Morning.

2011-12-16T08:10:00.001-06:00

DPP #15: Art Hour!

2011-12-15T21:05:00.003-06:00

When feeling like your stomach is about to turn inside out, what better to do than have a little crafting hour?

DPP #14: My baby has an Owie!!!

2011-12-14T10:03:00.001-06:00

My treadmill belt started tearing awhile ago. It is quickly disintegrating and that is quite possibly the scariest event of the year. Its been mine several years and several thousand miles (roughly 10 a day). I have searched and found no suitable replacement. Desperate measures have been taken. Hoping for a Hello Kitty Miracle.

DPP 13: Bag of Chocolatey Joy

2011-12-13T22:45:00.003-06:00

The little goodie bag of chocolate that lay on my plate tonight at dinner. The event was OHC's Women's Holiday event. Mom bought a table, decorated it beautifully with some holly and candles. The event itself was.....lacking. But the decor was festive!

DPP 12 & 12.5

2011-12-12T22:28:00.002-06:00

Yolk might be giving First Watch a run for its Ultimate Breakfast Place money......I would have eaten every meal both days there if I had known!

December Photo Project! #11 &11.5 : Cold and Windy City

2011-12-11T22:51:00.002-06:00

I'll have a proper Chicago post this week hopefully, but for now, you'll get a sneak peak DPP style.....
DPP #11: Chicago!!!!

DPP #11.5: Ruth Chris Steakhouse. Gluttony at its best. Even for those who didn't have a single ounce of meat!

DPP #10: Santas Helpers at Half Time.

2011-12-11T00:11:00.005-06:00

DPP #10: I worked the UNI Mens basketball today (As I do every game). But not every game has dancing lip syncing little elves as the half time show.....

DPP #9: Helpful smile in every aisle!

2011-12-09T23:59:00.002-06:00

Nothing like a late night shopping trip to HyVee to get food that you totally forgot you have to make for the next day with a cohort that clearly loves some Curtis Stone action in the meat department.....(pun intended?)

DPP #8: A pretty pink protein drink!

2011-12-08T22:02:00.002-06:00

Today's protein shake got a little bubbly in the blender. But light and airy is so much better than concrete sludge when it comes to a pretty pink protein drink!

Simon's Cat in 'Catnap'

2011-12-08T21:46:00.000-06:00

A new Simons Cat always makes my day brighter.

DPP #7: Santa could be a snack.

2011-12-07T23:39:00.004-06:00

With 23 minutes to spare. DPP #7 Christmas Kitty having deep deep Christmassy thoughts. Or she hears Santa. And wants to eat him.

DPP #6: Gift box Galore!

2011-12-06T17:40:00.002-06:00

A perk of a family only business. All gift boxes are up for sharing!

DPP #5: Twinkly Toys

2011-12-05T21:44:00.003-06:00

The small furry ones love Christmas. If only because it means EVERYTHING is a toy. All the balls to swat and all the lights to pounce! I'll deal with it. Christmas lights make everything that much more homey.

Thanksgiving 2011: Feast!

2011-12-05T21:30:00.000-06:00

We take a break from our regularly scheduled DPP to bring you Thanksgiving. Over a week ago. Almost two weeks ago actually. Oops. But between my parents leaving the day after, multiple added games at UNI, my brother's knee surgery, and whatnot, I have been a rich busy going to and from and from and to everywhere.

This year, we had a solid 12 people. We usually only have the eight of us, (grandparents, uncle, my immediate family) but this year, the Gilbertson family joined in the festivities. It was a nice addition, and it gave me quite the reason to go out and make extra food. If you are new to this (very new, cause it doesn't take long to figure out) that I love baking, cooking, anything food related. But I don't have many occasions to make as much as I want to make without becoming 400+ pounds myself having had to eat it all. So this was the occasion! I started a few days early, making a little bit each night, but in the long run, my contributions were: broccoli salad, corn pudding, cubed sweet potato casserole, a cream mushroom tart, an onion apple puff pastry, cranberry sauce, cherry pie, goat cheese pumpkin cheesecake, and a carrot cake.
So clearly plenty of food was to be consumed!
The unfortunate part was that I had a volleyball tournament that same afternoon (all weekend really, of the holiday, totally bogus) so we had to have an early meal, and it was virtually a race through it all, straight into the massive amounts of desserts before I had to zoom off to work for the rest of the day. Needless to say, I don't think I have to comment on how I feel about working on a holiday like that. Weekend of, a little more acceptable. But 3pm on Thanksgiving....ugh.

I did get my favorite part though, feeding the outdoor cats their yearly turkey carcass. Its always a brutal massacre and AWESOME to watch.

DPP #4: Meals and Muppets!

2011-12-04T20:07:00.001-06:00

DPP 4: My wunderbar parents got back from Germany late last night. They went for a week of Christmas Market hopping to celebrate both their birthdays.

We celebrated today with family meals and the Muppet movie (at his request).

DPP #3: Finally someone else's turn!

2011-12-03T22:02:00.003-06:00

Fives times summonsed myself, finally I get justice by watching Tim get his own! Mwahaha!

DPP #2: Gooey Appley Goodness

2011-12-02T14:49:00.001-06:00

Day 2: It's the season of cinnamon apples, walnuts, and raisins. (But its ALWAYS the season for raisins)

Happy December!

2011-12-01T17:15:00.003-06:00

Last cat post today, I promise. But they wanted to say Happy December!

December Photo Project! #1

2011-12-01T14:23:00.005-06:00

It's that time of year again! Time for the December Photo Project! I actually really like this challenge. I did it two years in a row and then took last year off? Well, this year, its back on! I promise not too many cat or food pictures, but I can't help what I love!

DPP Day #1:

Its 5:45am. I have one diva thinking the sink is her chaise lounge, and one thirsty cat that thinks she's a dog drinking from the toilet.

Few things to touch on.

2011-11-28T21:42:00.001-06:00

Ok, so who had the best Thanksgiving? Or at least who had the best food? Between trying to make sure my thousand dishes didn't suck, my parents leaving the country the next day, and me having to work most of the holiday, I'm going to assume that most of you win over me. Not to say mine wasn't perfectly fine, just not overly fantastic. I do enjoy pecan pie though, and even though I force myself to stick to one slice, yum!! I'll post some more later though, with pictures!

My brilliant brother tore both his ACL and lateral meniscus in a football game last week. We found out this morning that he has surgery tomorrow. My parents made it to Germany just fine, but of course my mom is less than thrilled learning about the surgery. I'm hoping it doesn't affect their trip. Few things could affect a birthday romp across Deutschland visiting Christmas markets. But of all things, this could. Luckily this first surgery is an outpatient one. They are only fixing the meniscus first, and then going back in for ACL in a month or so. Poor kid. He's so physical that it's going to be rough, we'll have to keep a good eye on him though. He is one to try to work out when sick and injured, and this is definitely NOT the time to pull that.

Being a Nordyke, I am well versed in this injured field of reference. When we moved back to Iowa, my first few months were playing nurse/babysitter/chauffer to my mother who had just gotten done shattering her leg in Africa and was basically out of commission for half a year. Plus, with my own ankle injuries all growing up, if anyone is ready to take on the task this week, its me! And Tim, not to exclude him. He is totally helping out a lot. Its majorly helpful that his current job has the hours that it does so he can take over for me when I should be at the office for at least a little while.

As a side note, its the last week of this Next Level Extreme Fitness session. And what do I do yesterday morning? I SLICE my finger on a brand new Ninja blender blade. Massive tears. Half pain, half because i thought I would be out of kickboxing for the last week. I mummied out my finger this morning with plenty of gauze, and other than a few twinges, I was good to go! No outpour of blood like yesterday morning. Which is good, cause that was NO GOOD!

Look at me! Look at me!

2011-11-27T21:08:00.001-06:00

This progression explains her so well.

Things I love about today:

2011-11-11T15:27:00.003-06:00

Killed the Kickbox Gauntlet this morning. I partially thank the playlist. Buckcherry makes me want to punch things.
Learned that Tuesday is 80s Day at NLXF. Gotta get to shopping this weekend!
Tried a new protein shake concoction. Peaches and sugar free vanilla syrup. Yum.
Got in a ten mile run before 11am. The remaining 5 miles took the same amount of time.
Received the call that I could claim Veterans Day and take the day off.
Baked a batch of tasty pumpkin cookies for the video board kids tonight. Green sugar decor!

Mom delivered me the new sugar free peppermint mocha lattes to work, and then when I wasn't there, brought it to the house for me!
Trying out Dad's new Livestrong bike.
Getting a full days workout in before having to work a double of games tonight. Volleyball and basketball, but Ill take that over football any day (sadly, Ill do just that tomorrow)

Things I love about today:

2011-11-08T12:46:00.002-06:00

Despite being at 6:30, this morning’s workout was brutally stellar
New louffas are awesome
A series of really good emails
Starbucks now has sugar free mocha and sugar free peppermint
My work space heater is loving on my legs
Ally McBeal on netflix
Planning and researching recipes for Thanksgiving
Thinking about the chicken curry salad I plan on making for dinner tonight
The salted carmel hot chocolate that will be the dessert following said dinner

What do you love today?

Nessa in November!

2011-11-01T19:56:00.001-06:00

Nessa Pumpkin November!

No extra padding needed....

Things I loved about yesterday.

2011-11-01T15:10:00.001-06:00

Yesterday was really good for a Monday, I gotta say. Especially with how crappy I was feeling by Sunday night due to the amount of junk I ate over the weekend (and not even Halloween candy!) All the little things of the day just seemed to add up nicely.

-Waking up at 5:45am for boot camp on a Monday was less traumatic than normal.
-Yoga was slow enough to relax, but still worked out all my poppy kinks.
-The chiropractor got a solid 6-7 cracks out of my neck without scaring me silly.
-My second round of kickboxing for the day was fantastic due to brand new shoes (like pillows on my feet), berry gum for lubrication, and a non achey neck due to pill popping (rare for me, so it REALLY worked well).
-Paula Deen in a monkey suit on The Talk. Making Monkeybread.
-Making a last Four Queens run of the summer season. Except I ate half my shake that was meant to last on the way home….
-Learning about our mid December shopping trip to Chicago.
-My goal to get in bed was 10pm since I've been getting up so early. And I actually made it by 10:20, better than expected!

Throwback Thursday: Energizer Bunny Monster?

2011-10-27T14:36:00.000-06:00

As Halloween is coming up here in a few days, I looked for a picture of me in any Halloween costume, and came up totally empty. We weren't exactly a super Halloweeny family. Traditional trick or treating didn't happen.We'd wear the costumes that we wore to school to a few peoples houses that were family friends (read: like three houses and my grandparents). And that was it. Too cold, too rainy, it just never happened. I guess I didn't care much at the time, but now I do! Halloween should be more a adult holiday anyway!

By the time I hit Jr High, Halloween took on a whole new meaning when I was having some....social trouble persay? And one Halloween my dad took me on a shopping trip for new clothes, and it just kinda became a thing. We don't really do it anymore, but I'm pretty sure it stuck through at least high school. Kinda like back to school shopping, only in late October. Late fall and winter clothes are better anyway.

All I came up with is this picture from the jr high talent show. I don't even remember the sketch, it just involved me going down the auditorium in the Energizer Bunny Suit. So for thirty seconds of the evening, I hopped, pink and fuzzy. I gotta say though, I look Monstrous. Not in the Frankenstein way, in the way that makes me say, pink was not a very slimming color. Ugh. We barely got that thing closed. Forget Freddy Krueger, that is more of a nightmare to me.

Throwback Thursday: Snuggly Soft.

2011-10-20T11:09:00.005-06:00

November 1986.
This fur blanket/rug/item of delight was at my grandparent's house. As you MIGHT be able to tell, I rather liked to roll around on the softness. Yes, that is me, not my brother. You can tell because by a year old he had way more hair than that. Oh bald baby was I.

And oh how much I would give to curl up on a fur rug like that right now and just take a little snooze....(I'd just wear a few more clothes this time around).

Olivia, the Diva.

2011-10-19T12:46:00.007-06:00

This is completely out of place for her. Clearly she is up to something that's no good. I mean, look at that attempt at an innocent face!

We knew when we got Pandora, her and Olivia would become the best of friends. Mainly because they both have the energy level of a five year old cracked out on pixie sticks and Mountain Dew. It took awhile, but they are finally beginning to bond!

How in the world are we supposed to get anything done when this is happening?!?

She poops glitter and eats any crumb. But she is Olivia, our puffy little princess.

Simon's Cat in 'Double Trouble'

2011-10-17T15:43:00.000-06:00

This is EXACTLY what happened in my house a month ago.

Cupcakes fix failure.

2011-10-17T11:35:00.006-06:00

Clearly I failed on my Yoga Challenge. Oh well, no one seemed to be paying too much attention as it was. So I shall just randomly insert some thoughts on it every once in awhile to scratch that itch and we will all call it good, cool?

In the mean time, I'll get back to the equally boring updates about everything else I do. Which pretty much equates to kitty cats, food, and travel. The trifecta of ClareAwesome.

Ok, this post already has too much ego, so let's leave you with some mouth watering pictures of the cupcakes my Daddy got me for my birthday a week and a half ago. He came into the office with a box of 12, to do with as I saw fit. Talk about handing a pyro some matches.....

Mongolian Chicken Flu would suck (Day 8)

2011-10-08T22:28:00.001-06:00

All of these are true, but I really don't know if #2, 3, or 4 is the most true....

Namaste. (Day 7)

2011-10-07T21:13:00.000-06:00

Namaste - The light in me honors the light in you.

Said at the end of every practice by the instructor, who receives the same response by their class. There is no worship or religious actions involved, as you slightly bow with your hands at your heart center. It is simply a sign or respect and gratitude shown for the time and effort put in by both teacher and student.

So tonight, I simply say Namaste to you, readers. Thank you for reading these. Thanks for putting up with the blathering. I appreciate it.

Alley Oop Headstand! (Day 6)

2011-10-06T21:53:00.007-06:00

So today I totally had a break through. Because of this new workout program I am on, I haven't been to a yoga class in too long. I can feel my muscles shortening and tightening, so finally tonight I got my butt to a class.

And I couldn't be happier about it. Not only was getting my stretch on fantastic, but Lindsay pulled kind of a random in class. She's usually very similar in her style, and very flow oriented, but tonight she gave us time to work on our head stands.

Here's where this went awesome. I am so used to going into headstands with my forearms on the ground and my hands cupped near the crown of my head (supported head stand). I've always just kicked up from there, against a wall, and then worked at getting my balance off of the wall. But it never really goes well. I can get straight up against the wall and hold against the wall all day, but pushing away to balance on my own, not so much.

But she had us enter into the pose differently. Start with a base of your head and hands on the ground, and basically go into crow, moving your knees to the backs of your arms. Then slowly lift your feet with more pressure on your hands and head. I have a balance problem with crow, but with my head on the ground, problem solved.

So head on ground, knees on elbows, toes up, BAM! Instant headstand. Wall not needed. That is right. I am amazing. A few tries later, I literally collapsed straight to the side rolling like a lump of dough. Ok, no longer amazing, but still progress!

This makes me happy. Happy birthday to me!

Throwback Thursday: Bald Birthday Girl!

2011-10-06T13:26:00.000-06:00

You know, I always wondered why people have parties for super little kids. It's not like you remember the party or the cake or the gifts. I mean, yeah, sure there are pictures, but you can totally stage that anyway. It's not like anyone would know, right?

However, when I look at this picture a bit closer, I see why this birthday party for me occurred.

You see, my dad's favorite dessert of all time is lemon cake. Not just regular square lemon cake, but lemon BUNDT cake. So take another quick peek at the picture and notice what kind of cakey goodness that candle has been placed upon. That's right! A LEMON BUNDT CAKE.

And a Mickey Mouse party hat? While I do appreciate that it is covering my still nearly bald head to hide me from follicle embarrassment, Disney is also a favorite of my father....I think I see a theme going here.

Although, my second observation leaves me curious. Who sends that many birthday cards to a one year old? I don't even get that many birthday cards now, and I would really like to think that I am at least slight more social in my mid twenties than I was at age one. Well, maybe not.

Indian Gymnastics on a Rubber Mat (Day 5)

2011-10-05T21:26:00.002-06:00

I'll admit it, I fell behind in time today. But I said I would post every day. So I'm gonna. And I post this segment not because its just easy to post and go to sleep (well, its a perk) but I also had full intentions to post it at some point. When I read it, it was like the lightbulb turned on. Not like its not something I didn't already know, because its kind of a duh thing, but it just clicked, and everything shifted every so slightly.

Plus, I totally giggled at, "If there is no breath, there is no yoga. Only Indian gymnastics on a factory made rubber mat. "

So without further explanation, I am going to go crawl into bed and leave you with this gem of knowledge......

No wind=No sail. No Breath=No Yoga.

If you have ever stepped foot on a sailboat, you know that sailing without wind is literally impossible. You cannot move, and you do not move. And if there is a solid wind initially, allowing you move gracefully across the sea with an elegant tilt, and then out of no where it stops, your sailing stops, in a bad way. Immediately the sails flop down and start to clank against the mast. The ropes get tangled. The boat starts to rock, and maybe even do a little 360. You go no where. You get no where. You are totally stuck.

The wind in sailing is akin to the breath in yoga. Without the breath, there is no yoga. It is impossible. It does not exist.

The breath is what MAKES YOGA WORK. It is the link between your external, tangible, gross body, and your internal, intangible, subtle body.

The breath moves, molds, and makes the subtle body into the you you are, and the you you see, feel, and live through via your external body. The breath feeds every cell of you, those that compose your muscles, your mood, and more importantly, those in the mind.

When you try and practice yoga without the breath, you will end up like a sailboat without the wind at sea. Your body will move without elegant ease or direction. Your muscles will feel limp and cranky. And above all, the ropes of thoughts swinging through your mind will be come tangled. You will feel stuck, as opposed to floating gracefully through your day, which is likely why you “went to yoga” to begin with.

If there is no wind, there is no sailing. If there is no breath, there is no yoga. Only Indian gymnastics on a factory made rubber mat.

So next time you do your yoga, don’t let yourself spin in circles and go nowhere. Make sure, instead, that you BREATHE, breathe so you can sail through your day, your life, your YOU.

Baddha Konasana. (Day 4)

2011-10-04T20:57:00.002-06:00

Everybody has one pose. One pose that if you ask them how long they've been doing it, they'll answer that it feels like forever, but yet they get no further than where they began.

You can blame tight muscles, stuff joints, general lack of flexability, there can be lots of reasons. Totally legit ones, its just that that pose seems to never go as desired.

For me, that pose is Baddha Konasana, aka Cobbler's pose, aka Butterfly. My feet connect, they get within 12 inches from my body, I lean forward about half an inch, and done. I watch others lean forward with no problem, some even with their face to the ground. Nope. Not gonna happen with these hips of mine.

They really aren't even tight in other poses, just this one. It's as if you could take a sledgehammer to these knees and they wouldnt budge an inch closer to the ground. Same with my chest.

But I'll keep working on it....

Last Day in Boston.

2011-10-04T20:56:00.000-06:00

Our last day in Boston was a chance to check a few more things off our to do list.

Getting a stamp at the Saugus Ironworks National Park site.

Exploring the Sowa Market, which involved talking to a cop about driving the wrong way down a one way, buying orange cranberry bread, and sharing a delightful brie and pear grilled cheese from a food truck.

Our first (but definitely not last) Sunday Jazz brunch at Johnny D's.
Checking in to the Copley Plaza, and checking out our crazy room view.
Rock Your Asana yoga class at Back Bay Yoga. A solid two hour class that made me feel like I was a kindergartner yogi in a 6th grade yogi class. Talk about being out of my league. Whoa buddy.

A walk through the North End during Saint Anthony's Feast led to very long lines at the bakeries and some very interesting cash happenings in the streets. But dessert was still acquired....and smuggled into dinner.

Tim picked this restaurant for us to try over this visit. Mainly because they have beef wellington. He has been DYING to try beef wellington. Let's just say that he is STILL dying to have beef wellington. And that I am really glad desserts were in the bag waiting to be eaten back at the hotel.....

Good Night Boston. Every time I come back, it's like I never left. At first I am reminded of why I left, but by the time I leave, I don't want to go.

Yoga Challenge: Day 3 (Definitely a challenge)

2011-10-03T21:37:00.003-06:00

Today has been a rough day. In more than a few ways. Tomorrow is a new day. But when it starts with a 5:30am lower body boot camp leading into a day of jury duty...something tells me tomorrow might not win any happy awards either.

I would love to pound out a really good, yogi philosophical, life is more than bad days post. Especially when its only day three of this challenge. But today, that's just not going to happen. It would be a massive lie.

So I am going to let someone else do it for me, and just hope that somehow it seeps from this keyboard into my own brain. Because I have had these exact thoughts before, during bad days, going into a yoga practice. And most of the time, it works. Most of the time.

Now that you are free, nothing else matters.
It is now just you and your breath and all the emptiness.
You have waited for something for so long, which has never come
but now you know it is time to let it all go.
Now it is just you and your heartbeat and nothing else matters.
You want everything and nothing from life
and everything around you is yours and nothing belongs to you.
Now you are free and nothing else matters.
You breathe and listen to the silence.

- http://365daysyoga.tumblr.com

Downward Facing Dog (Day 2).

2011-10-02T14:12:00.002-06:00

For those of you that don't scroll down to see if this was the most recent post, I can almost guarantee you that you missed one (or at least two if you haven't seen October's cat calendar picture). So you should scroll a bit and at least read the first two chunks explaining that I'm going into a potential realm of boredom for you, a yoga post a day for the month of October. But I'll try to keep you entertained, it's the least I can do.

So the first post was about my first yoga class ever. And no one goes in and can rock their first sun salutation flawlessly on their first go. In fact, if you can remember just the steps alone the first time around, I applaud you. But I was sucking it up in even downward dog, a resting pose. A pose for those that need a break, and yet I was needing a break after the first few seconds of downward dog...

Fastforward to now. I love downward dog. I do it more frequently than just in class. It's the most amazing stretch for the parts of me that usually ache the most. In the beginning of learning, I did the lazy man's version of the pose. In fact, a lot of the people at the rec center classes STILL do this version. It involved letting your shoulder blades hang out on your back, with no tension. But pull those babies back, and wham, whole new level.

When first instructed, holy cow. I avoided it at all costs. Its work. It hurt. And it just didnt seem like that's how a resting pose should feel. But my instructor kept coming back at me, class after class, pushing between those blades making me realize it's full potential. And now, I could endlessly thank her for it. My body goes straight into the proper position, pain free, stress free, feels great. And I could hold it for hours. I could hold it, moving within the pose for those awesome stretches. (Oh that sidebody twist feels so good. And calves? They get loving too.)

October Yoga Challenge.

2011-10-02T09:05:00.003-06:00

I'm already behind in something I haven't started. Go figure. But I'm not so far behind that it's not worth even starting, so here it goes. I love October, for lots of reasons, some stated in the previous post, well, most stated there. But still. I also have this weird drawing towards yoga (if you haven't picked that up about me, you need to read more posts of mine instead of acting like my mother with a tivo and fast forwarding to what she thinks are the "good parts").

Anyways, I have had a lot of things to think about involving the hippie zen world of yoga in the past few months and never really got around to working through/writing them out. So my thought is, for the month of October, I will post once a day about something yoga related. Could be long, could be short, could be a quote, could be me spouting off at the mouth for far too long about something I couldn't do in class. So we will see how that goes.

We'll start easy since I better get another post in about it today to make up for yesterday. What's the best place to begin? The beginning, I guess. I never once was interested in yoga. Not ever. I saw the mats leaving my dorm room, never thinking about where they were going and for what actual purpose. Not that I was so inclined to exercise. I was happy with my beginning workouts of cardio as a freshman, and that was as far as that was going to go.

Until I moved back to Cedar Falls. Our city rec center is really a pretty good facility for being a public one, and I figured, I have the time, might as well get to a few classes. Turns out that yoga was quite a popular one, so after several weeks (maybe even months) of avoiding it, I ventured out, with a safety friend at my side to try out this completely foreign concept.

To make it only that much more nerve wracking, the instructor was a girl that graduated from my high school a year before me. A very bendy, very toned, very skinny girl. Welcome to very potential humiliation. I could lead you to believe for the rest of the post that she was a huge bitch and was snickering everytime I fell over, but that was far from the truth. The class was at least 15 people, and I doubt she looked at us any more than anyone else. She was totally professional, but at the time, it sure felt like all eyes on me. We were in the second row, in front of a whole other row on the side, right next to a mirror. In my nerves, it felt like I might as well have a flashing frame around me.

I legitly don't remember much about the actual class, but I do remember have ZERO idea about anything. Ihad probably never in my life ever even heard the term downward dog ever before. And for most of you, I bet you know how common that pose is, and by common, I mean, its like breathing, it happens all the time...but this meant that I had my neck cranked up the entire class, trying to follow what everyone else was doing. So I was a solid three/four seconds behind everyone else, and even then I was in some sort of weird contortion of each pose since I had no clue where each limb was really supposed to be. Although, that wasn't a huge problem in reality, as I was so out of shape and untoned that every pose only could be held for a few seconds. I fell out of each one well before the next pose was called. Each downward dog seemed like it was held for hours. Oh the burning arms, the shoulders on fire.

An hour later, I was done. I don't know if then I knew I would return. I bet I thought I would give it another try or two, but I can pretty much guarantee you that at know point, even in the first couple of years that I would be where I am now with it. At least mentally. Unable to go long without it, or the mental mumbo jumbo starts going on, and the body starts yelling at me to get with the program and get to the mat. I need it now. I'm not addicted, but I am. When I think back to where I was when I started, it feels like I have been with the practice for decades, but in reality, its been only a little over five years. Crazy. I mean, after the first few months, I got INTO it. For awhile I was going to yoga classes five days a week, but for the most part now its only 3 times a week, but still. For people with normal schedules, that probably isn't the frequency that is going to happen. But I will say it time and again, if you want to do it, you can do it. You might have to start with every modification known, and some made up by your own body and mind, but you will get there. I did. And that's saying something.

Best of the Best: October!

2011-10-01T10:20:00.002-06:00

It's finally October! The best month of the year! Weather is changing, air is crisp, pumpkin flavors permeate everything, sweaters come out, Halloween to look forward to, but the calm before holiday season.....

Oh yeah, and my birthday is Friday ;-)

An Ode to the Bridal Filled Wedding!

2011-09-29T19:06:00.000-06:00

An Ode to the Wedding:
The Brides came out, said their vows.

Everyone grinned and clapped, a few cheers were roused.

Cocktails mixed and drank, a tasty dinner was eaten.

But then there was the cupcakes, to which all the rest was beaten.

Cute and simple. As are the girls.

They looked simply radiant in their white and pearls.

Chatted with friends, remembered old times.

A lot of clinking for kisses, making those glasses chime!

Then came the dancing. How did we survive?

Everyone on the dance floor, all night long we jived.

Ceremony over, reception put to bed.

What comes next, bonfire and smores you said?!

The day was fantastic, there's no way it could have been equaled.

Best wedding I've ever been to, so next year, let's give it a sequel!

Pre Wedding Jitters? I mean, Lobster.

2011-09-29T12:56:00.002-06:00

The day of the wedding, we drove down to Plymouth a bit early as to make the mandatory lunch stop at Lobster Hut. A personal favorite. Best lobster roll ever. Tim always picks the wrong things to eat. I mean, clam strips? Really? Shame. Always go for lobster!

We had time for a seaside walk around town, plus the weather was completely gorgeous and perfect to set up the wedding vibe!

Meg and Kate's wedding was at the Bourndale facility, meaning that all overnight wedding guests were staying in cabins on the grounds. We were given a cabin on our own due to the fact that everyone else that we knew was leaving right after the wedding. Pretty sweet cabins though, for a campground!

All dressed, primped, and ready to go to the wedding!!!!!

Throwback Thursday: Nordyke Clan.

2011-09-29T10:45:00.001-06:00

My aunt and uncle are coming down from Wisconsin this weekend. Their daughter (my cousin, cause I'm pretty sure thats how that whole family tree thing works) is in some sort of volleyball tournament at Wartburg. And why not come say hello to the fam when you are only half an hour away?! I think the question is more why come down at all, but anyways. They are coming and so they are now the topic of this week's Throwback.

Margaret is third or fourth in the line of my dad's siblings, but the second and last girl. But don't let the femininity trick you, she's definitely a Nordyke when she opens her mouth. That must be why the look of lack of amusement on my face is totally present as she snuggles up in this picture. And her husband is the farthest one away in the picture. But I think my favorite part of this picture is John's stache that he is working, so 1980s. SOOOO 1980s.

We used to go visit Chicago and get together with all my dad's brothers and sisters several times a year. As a child of stubbornness and a general disdain for socializing, it was not my favorite weekend trips. They generally slowed down, happening less and less often, and now I think its pretty much down to weddings and the occassional high school graduation (not that there are many left of those).

Although now I suppose I should add volleyball tournaments to that list....

Prancing around Boston.

2011-09-28T13:00:00.012-06:00

Yeah, two posts in one day. It's like Christmas for you! ;-)

We had pretty much two free days to do our thing in Boston. Thursday was spent walking downtown, from the Emerson bookstore to Fanuiel Hall, and up the Downtown Crossing, doing some shopping. Quick lunch and then Tim walked me to Back Bay Yoga, where I was pretty pumped for a Hip Hop Yoga class. I won't go into it too much, but when you are in a dark room, with Eminem blaring for 8 minutes, I would never thought that self guided sun salutations could be that exhilerating. But for who knows what reason, it was absolutely fantastic. I want to do it again.

After yoga, we changed into our baseball getups and walked to dinner at the Salty Pig. Tim loved his meat and cheese platter (I gotta say, his was pretty tasty) but my fig and goat cheese pizza left me desiring actual figs, not just fig jam. Especially since I splurged on a pizza order! Oh well. Not too much time to lament the fact since we had to race to Fenway to make it the Red Sox / Yankees game. We got their in time, but finding our seats was harder than one would think, so the game had barely started by the time we sat down.
Let's just say that I do not find baseball to be entertaining, to put it nicely. I had meant to bring some magazines, but totally forgot, at least I had my iphone, right? And by the end of the fourth inning, Tim went and got me a GINORMOUS ice cream sundae and himself a Dunkin coffee. It was quite a chilly night, so the combo was pretty much perfect. But by the end of the seventh inning. My phone goes dark. Battery dead. Ultimate despair. What am I going to do? I somehow made it to the end, but I was definitely antsy to go. I mean, game started at 7, and then didn't end until after 11:30. That is a LONG time to sit in a seat after two days in a car. Watching baseball nonetheless. But Tim got to see a Yankees/Sox game at Fenway. So its worth it. Once. ;-)

Friday brought on something new for us. We finally went on a Ducktour. It was pretty entertaining, glad to be able to say that we have now done the tour that I spent much of my freshman year quacking at. Mac, our driver, was decent, but once you've lived in Boston, you've pretty much seen everything there is to see on a Ducktour, other than when the Ducks actually go in the water.

Stopped by the pru afterwards for some lovely Lululemon shopping (how can I resist?) and had the great debate about lunch. After quite the logistics thought process, we ended up at Mikes Deli in Coolidge Corner, eating the largest sandwiches on the planet. Washed down with Red Velvet Party Favors cupcakes. More shopping, including a massive drama session at Macy's. I finally picked to Coach purse to use my gift card on, and it turns out that our card number had been cleared out last July in a big hack, but yet, they didnt contact us until now that we were trying to use it. So no purse. Oh well.

One workout later, we were meeting Caroline at Friendly Toast. I swear everytime I see that girl its like I saw her last week. The dinner was cut relatively short though since my leftover sickness from the week before was kicking up pretty hard again, but it was great getting to see her. Back to the hotel to pick up our luggage and shopping bag destroyed room for our evacuation the next day to Plymouth for the wedding!!!!

Day Two of Driving to Boston.

2011-09-28T12:59:00.000-06:00

I guess I know that something that happened three weeks ago is of zero interest to the world wide web, however, I have turned this into a journal of type so when I am old and crazy I can look back (Im sure I will have forgotten to even bother looking back, but not the point)! So here's a bit more of our journey out to Boston.

The second day we got to at least sleep until a decent hour, but were on the road by 8 in order to maybe hit up a few stampie sites before getting into Hartford. But first, we raced the clock in order to get into Dayton by 2pm so we could have First Watch for breakfast. Yes, people, it is that good. But we were going to miss it by minutes. So what do we do? 20 minutes outside of town, we order takeout. So the food was ready by the time we got there at 2:10, our only chance at getting the deliciousness. Off to the Dayton Aviation stamp site, which was a CRAZY maze of roads and exits to finally get to the site. But we did!

We made it to Hartford in time for dinner before Cirque Du Soleil, and in true Clare & Tim form, found an Irish Pub close by. Tim's shepard's pie might look like an albino cow pie, but sure didn't taste like one!

Next door at Cirque's Quidam, we were....not as thrilled as normal with the show. It clearly was one of their older shows. I mean, I love conceptual art and the whimsical creativity that Cirque brings to their shows. But I equally love the athletic tricks and talented body work segments that each show has as well. And this show was far lacking on the impressive stunts, and heavier on the concept art. Dark concept art at that. It had a very mental institution vibe. But it was a good time nonetheless.

Afterward, we drove the last two hours to pull into Boston for the night. And no matter what time it is, you have to take a walk down Tremont and Boylston as soon as you check in to the hotel. Its just. Demanded tradition! As is NYP....

Sunday Funday.

2011-09-27T16:54:00.001-06:00

So in a manner very unlike myself, the only pictures I have from this past Sunday are a few super pixelated cell phone pictures, so you will just have to hear about it and visualize. Think deep thoughts. Although, I'm sure this is actually a pretty boring entry for most, almost repeatitive perhaps. Deal with it. Start your own blog and complain about how all other blogs say the same stuff over and over. Don't worry, I'd still probably read it. ;-)

Quick back story. Tim and I love Craig Ferguson. You know, the guy with the robot sidekick on CBS late night. The Scottish one. Yeah, that guy. He's hilarious. I've read his book and I saw tickets to see his stand up in Minneapolis and just couldn't resist.

We've spent quite a bit of money recently between summer trips and my extra stupid medical stuff, so we weren't really super up for shopping, but driving all the way up to arrive right before the show and drive right back afterwards seemed kinda silly, might as well make at least a half day out of it!

We left town around 11 to make it up just in time for a late lunch at Common Root, which as much as I usually totally love it, left something to be desired. They prepared my toasted bagel immediately and let it sit for the 20 minutes it took to get Tim's out, so it was cold, chewy, and cream cheese congealed by the time I got it....unpleasant.

So after a quick yogurt parfait (the ONLY thing I'll eat from McDs, and thats in dire need) Tim dropped me off at Corepower Uptown for a Fusion Hot Yoga. I cannot begin to explain how much I love this place. Not just Uptown, but all of them. I wish Minneapolis wasn't so freaking cold. I would move there in a heartbeat and IMMEDIATELY get trained by Corepower. Everytime I go I get closer and closer to just sucking it up and figuring out a way to get my certificate up there anyway. I just love the facilities and the style and their philosophy. Their style is the most perfect match to mine, it brings in the mental meditation, but its not totally hippy enough to exclude the athletic and exercise aspect of it. But yet still completely traditional. I feel like every time I go I have a mini break through in some aspect of my practice...anyways. Enough yoga talk.

By the time I got back to the car, the bad lunch long drive dreariness was gone and I was totally ready for the rest of the day! Not that one can be in a funk for long once they get to Whole Foods. We didn't spend too much time there since we had to drive a bit for the show, but we stocked up on a few nights dinners, Love Crunch, and driving snacks for after the show. I want Whole Foods in Cedar Falls. Please? Anyone? Make this happen for my birthday (which, ps. is a week from Friday ;-) ).

Made it to the casino in good time for the show. Now, I don't really feel the need to talk about it a lot, and I don't think I would do the disgust sadness feeling justice. But it was actually my first time in a casino and it was sickening. This wasn't Vegas, here for a good time occassion gamblers. It was the morbidly obese, crippled grandmas, can't afford to eat chain smokers playing the digital slots. Just gross. And repulsive.

BUT. Craig Ferguson was funny. His opener was really good too. I like the comics that don't go fear going to the jokes that might take it just a little too far. That's where I start to find things funny. And both the opener and Craig did not disappoint. The venue was pretty good too, minus the fact that it was a really big igloo. I wouldn't have been surprised to see penguins waddling around in scarves and mittens. Show started at 7, and Craig wrapped at 8:30. Normally I would feel ripped off, but I was so cold and the drive ahead was long enough that I was ok with it. Plus it took us a solid 25 minutes to get out of the parking lot for seemingly no reason...

Drive home went fast though, pulled back in a little after midnight. Somehow I managed to stay awake the whole drive home, but that definitely didn't last long once I pulled the blanket over me.

Partner Yoga needs a cooler name.

2011-09-22T11:59:00.000-06:00

(Next time, I'm doing this one)

Last weekend I got the opportunity to participate in a partner yoga class down in Des Moines. I add the down in Des Moines part because Cedar Falls is barely smart enough to have a single yoga studio, so even the idea of them having a partner class is just totally out of the question. Plus, in going down early, I was able to catch a hot yoga class which always just leaves me sparkling. Well, dripping with sweat, but sparkling on the inside! I would have preferred a bit hotter in that particular class, I mean, I like it HOT. But still, coming out drenched is enough of a success I guess.

But the partner class later on was the most fun. We started off in sun salutations, and I know thats traditional and what not and thats not the part I mind. Its the fact that there were maybe 10 people in the class, and maybe half had done any type of yoga before at all. So these sun salutations were less than half the skill/intensity/whatever I am used to. There was quite a bit of eye rolling, I'll admit. But then started the fun part. And I mean super fun. Yoga is something that is usually done in the most serious of tomes, and I do really like that about it. In fact, when soccer moms get chatty in savasana, I generally want to go punch them in the throat. I mean, only to produce silence of course. But every once in awhile, its really fun to play around in poses and talk through them and just generally mess around and see how weird bendy you can get.

Then add in another person who is equally as into the yoga as you are, and someone you are totally comfortable and trusting of, and it gets almost even better. With a stranger, you have no idea if they are going to do something stupid or how far they can go in something, but when you know someone isn't going to sit on your sacrum and shatter it to pieces. Or pull your shoulder out of its socket. Or really just kick you in the face. Cause that would suck.

It's also crazy how physics plays a part in it too. You can go into something like double down dog thinking that a person who weighs a good chunk more than you do would feel like they were an anvil on your back, but in reality, its like they weigh ten pounds. So strange. Probably the reason that I don't get it was the same reason that I slacked and was in Physics B. Oh well. I still don't understand why if you drop a pencil in a car moving at 80 mph that it doesnt slam into the back window....*brainpain*

Anyways, it was a blast, and I highly suggest it for anyone. As I said, its more fun and playtime than it is serious. Its only serious in the fact that dont break your partner. Thats it. Plus, anyone can do it, yogis or non yogis alike. I promise!

Welcome Home Pandora!

2011-09-15T21:59:00.000-06:00

Tim and I were at Petsmart on Monday, and saw this adorabley precious kitty for adoption. She was the only one with energy and spunk, even though she only had three legs. Immediately I fell in love with her. But with three furry ones at home, every time I want a new one, I get shot down. UNTIL YESTERDAY! Tim called to ask if we could go get my birthday present after work (three week early, but sounds good to me!) so for the rest of the day, it was all about researching names for the new addition.

Picked her up, immediately purring. Car ride home went well. We holed up the cranky ones in the bedroom while we gave her free reign to explore. She loved it. Every cat before her has been timid in exploring. After five minutes, you would think she had lived here her whole life. Nessa was introduced first, no problems. Chillest cat in the world. Olivia and Myla were a bit slower. We thought Myla would be the hardest, but olivia is the one that is being bitchy. Its been about 36 hours now, and theres a few tense moments. But by the end of the weekend, I predict loving licks between the two. Really, with the energy they both have, they will be soul mates.

So here she is, the newest of the crazy bunch, Pandora.

We got her name narrowed down pretty quickly to between Padma and Pandora. But its pretty clear that this kitty is going to be a total box of insanity waiting to burst out, so Pandora it was!

Welcome to the crazy family, Pandora. Even with three legs, you’ll fit right in.

Throwback Thursday: July 1991

2011-09-15T11:35:00.004-06:00

It's been awhile since I posted a Throwback, but I am currently working on Meg's wedding pictures, so here's a rather self explanatory one for you. The ultimate best part is Dad's facial expression.

Things I'm Loving Today

2011-09-14T12:43:00.006-06:00

I have been such a negative nancy recently. Things seem to be going wrong left and right, day in and day out. But today. Today is good.

-Tonight I get to bring home my birthday present, a three legged, rambunctious kitty!
-Saturday just got a million times better, hot yoga, AND partner yoga class.
-The buzz I have going from DD Vanilla coffee
-The new Conan documentary waiting in my mailbox
-Brisk air telling me Fall is coming
-Dinner tonight involves taco turkey.
-My lower body is happily sore from yesterday's insane workout.

What are you loving today?

No really, I want to know. Think of just ONE thing (or ten if its a blissful day) and let's get the happy flow going!

Fargo in the distance (FAR distance)

2011-09-10T21:48:00.003-06:00

Yet one more round of Common Roots after getting up crazy early to get the drive started. The stop for brunch and Whole Foods was a nice halfway break in the drive on our way home!

Never ending drive....

Pause for Back to Fargo

2011-09-09T22:21:00.000-06:00

Yeah, I spent a full week on a road trip to and from New England, and I only posted about the first day. I know, I know. But for a brief moment I am going to go back to the Fargo trip. Mainly because I have over 500 pictures from Labor Day weekend and the trip and I really just don't have the focus to sort those right now (Coke Zero and Burn Notice are keeping me focused)

Before we left Minneapolis to make the trek up North, we had yet another meal at Common Root Cafe. Any place that I can order granola, fruit, and yogurt is up there in my book!

Tim went straight to the rehearsal, while I spent some time in the gym (thank god for hotel gyms) and then got ready for the rehearsal dinner at a golf course. We were running a bit late by the time he picked me up, and I was getting worried about finding it!
But eventually we did, introductions to the wedding party were made, crackers were eaten, toasts were made, bbq sandwiches eaten, and gifts passed out. Members of the wedding party were feeling sick (three straight days of drinking will do that) so the rehearsal dinner was pretty fast before we headed out. Tim and I made a short tour of Fargo, visited Target, and might have grabbed a snack at Qdoba.....

Saturday was another drive around Fargo, trying to find the Farmers Market, and after a few failures, we found a different one that gave us the total hook up in produce and baked goods! Cranberry orange scones and 7 layer bars.....but then he had to go do the pictures thing after a last "boys lunch" so I spent the entire afternoon.....in the gym, shocker, I know. But I made it to the wedding on time (barely) and saw the ceremony with Tim up front, and we drove to the reception at our hotel. Candy bar, dessert buffet, kiev dinner. Food was CONSUMED.

I was put at a table with other wives and significant others to the wedding party, only they all knew each other and I knew no one. So I made my early escape after toasts. I felt so atrocious after so much food that I needed to get some more cardio in so I could sleep comfortably. But not without a mirror photo shoot first....

Saddle Up September!!

2011-09-08T11:58:00.002-06:00

It's a week late, but here's your September kitcat picture!

On the way to Boston!: Driving to Incubus (Ohio)

2011-08-31T05:18:00.008-06:00

Apparently despite sleeping about four hours Monday night, and six hours last night, my body does not want to sleep. Bah. I care more because I know today is going to be just as long as yesterday and being tired is just not an option! Well, it is, but coffee as a pick me up. I hate that, knowing that you can't/shouldnt go to the bathroom any time you want, and then that just making you think about it ALL THE TIME, and then have to go ALL THE TIME. Oh well. Yesterday I did pretty well.

We were up at 4:30 (despite being up til near 1) and on the road by a few minutes after 5. There isn't much you can really say about 9 hours of driving. It happened. At seemingly a turtle's pace. By 8am, it felt like mid afternoon. It got a bit better as we realized that our original calculations were quite a bit off and we would be there really early (which would have been nice to know before getting up so freaking early). We raced to make it to Dayton before 2:30 so we could make it to a First Watch. I mean, yogurt and apples and beef jerkey are great, but a real breakfast meal would be fantastic, and First Watch? HEAVEN.

We made it in time that we called about 20 minutes out, ordered takeout, and picked it up about 10 minutes after they closed. Eating in the car wasn't exactly super comfort, but it was still delicious! Stopped at the Macys in Dayton, more to kill time and stretch. Then was the most roundabout backwards way of finding the Wright Brothers/Dayton Aviation National Park Site so I could get my stampie! Worth it though, three stamps in the one location!

Two hours onto Columbus, drove past the venue, went through town (and insane traffic) to find a Whole Foods in order to get a post concert snack for the road. It was seriously the biggest Whole Foods ever. It has to be the largest in the country. It was ENDLESS. It was good we had a time constraint, I would have wandered that store all day. It was so large, there was more than one prepared food station. Like, not just more than one kiosk, but numerous throughout the store. Holla!

Escaping only with one bag, we took the much faster highway back to the venue, got in line, and were annoyed that the concert was supposed to start at 6:30 (we are a-ok with missing the opening act), but they didnt start letting people in until 7. The outdoor grassy area facing the back half of the building venue/stage was ridiculously nice. I'd go there again. Good job PromoWest. Got a good spot, but after so long in the car, sitting longer just wasn't top of the list. Waited, opening act, Young the Giant, was decent. Kind of a 50s vibe, but with the voice of The Killers. Waited some more, finally around 8:45/9:00 Incubus came out. I adore them, and their shows are always so so worth it. Outside you could still smell a LOT of other people more illegally enjoying it too. But their light/CG show is so good. This year it was like a screen save from earlier computers on steroids in the future. Yeah. Like that! ;-) They also know their audience and play at least half of their setlist from old albums. Loved it.

Back in the car, snacks eaten, two more hours to the hotel. Too tired to care about anything else, we crashed.

On the way to Fargo: Minneapolis Eve.

2011-08-27T22:32:00.008-06:00

Last weekend (which felt more like a month long experience), Tim and I headed north for the wedding celebrations of one of his college friends. By wedding celebrations, I mean not only wedding, but rehearsal/rehearsal dinner, and bachelor party. And by north, I mean FARGO NORTH DAKOTA. And let's be honest, that might as well be Canada. I figured Fargo is well known, it should be a decent sized city, wrong. This speck that we live in in Iowa is more culturally diverse than the capital of North Dakota.

But first was the bachelor party in Minneapolis, a city I could definitely dwell in, if it weren't for the arctic tundra that takes up reidence from September to May of every year. Heated seats can only get me so far. But mid-August, I can handle it. Especially when, as the female, I am left on my own to wander the city while the boys go get blitzed and watch baseball. But first things first, food. Not just any food, but the Common Root Cafe, a friend of ours works in the catering department and had them cater her wedding, so we knew it was the place to hit up. And since we ate there a total of three times in three days, I think that speaks for it self. But if it doesnt, feast your eyes on what our stomachs feasted upon. (Josh, our hotel room partner on this leg of the trip also joined us for this early lunch).
My Tomato & Mozzarella Panini

Tim's Bison (yes, its Minnesota) Tacos

Dark Chocolate and Orange Bread Pudding.

The funny thing is that that took an hour, before noon. And the 12 hours, I only have two pictures to show for it, and they don't even involve me! The boys half of the itinerary had them on a Pedal Pub around to different bars (which I heard incessant bitching about) and then a Twins baseball game before I was called to come pick up Tim and Josh a little before midnight (and then on a wild goose chase of a Perkins hunt for muffins).

So yeah, it looks like they had fun. But I have to say that aside from the driving portions of the afternoon and evening (I have no idea how people get anywhere in Minneapolis, its like Picasso painted the map of the road system, completely illogical and insane), I had a great time. I had the opportunity to catch a hot yoga practice at the Corepower at St Louis Park, which was absolutely amazing. I wish I lived up there so I could get certified through them. The practice was great, the instructor (Dylan) was fantastic, and the facility is just, awesome. Can you tell I dug it? Hit up Mall of America for a titch bit of shopping. I only got through the first floor, but it took much longer than it usually does. I ended up with a $75 pair of Gap jeans for $23. Score. But I ended up spending far more than the difference at Lululemon....oops.

Picked up dinner at Whole Foods after getting caught up in a hot mess of traffic. Thought I made a great decision by getting a to go meal of steamed salmon, veggies and rice. Not thinking that I had no way to HEAT said food. Now, dont get me wrong, I can eat a lot of things cold, but rice? Ehhhh....bad choice. Plus I felt like my mother in the fact that I would have done ANYTHING to find a speck of salt. But it was tasty for what it was....and Love Crunch was on sale. I mean, that alone is happy.

Hotel gym was next. I ended up watching the same episode of Jersey Shore twice in a row, but whatever, that facility was killer. It's ALMOST the biggest hotel gym I've seen. A full room for weight lifting, and at least a room and a half of cardio equipment. Good stuff too. I'd work out there on a regular basis. Ok, I just realized I dedicated this much space to a hotel workout. I clearly have priorities messed up. Im not even picky, I just like my vacation workouts, and when its at that level, it makes my sweaty heart happy.

Then as I said before, drove downtown (made me think and miss Boston hardcore) and picked up Tweedle Dee and Tweedle "I need a bathroom, my head hurts, Im going to blast AC even though youre sweaty and cold, the Pedal Pub sucked, people suck, I have to pee" Oh my.

And yet, that was the best day of the weekend.....

Wrapping up Colorado!

2011-08-25T21:53:00.000-06:00

So thanks Mom and Dad for a great week in Colorado. Full of fun, food, and family frenzy. From dad's "magic tricks" to mom's spoiling us with Daylight Donuts, it was worth the long drive there. Thanks for loving us and taking us with you, especially over your anniversary! And thanks for always making us laugh :-)

Breckenridge.

2011-08-24T11:38:00.006-06:00

Breckenridge is a must when going to Colorado. We go every visit. At least one run down the slides and shopping through downtown. This year's visit might have been my favorite day of the week. Tim had never done the Alpine Slides before, so that was a fun new experience. DESPITE the fact that a chipmunk decided to run across my pathway, making me break in order to not have a rabid injured chipmunk attached to my face.

Christophers way down was far more slow though, due to a kid (on the fast track nonetheless) basically riding the breaks the entire ride down. He wasn't too pleased. But it was still a good time.

Not only does Breckenridge have super cute and quaint shopping (I could easily spend my life savings there) but they also have some utterly tasting looking places to eat. But leave it to my mother to bring the Nordyke attitude into this picture.

The boys got all you can eat ribs (they took awhile, and Dad was beyond ready to eat by the time they arrived), but I was far more pleased with my turkey wrap and sweet potato tots. Yes people, SWEET POTATO TOTS.

But there was a scary downside to the day. Since the last time I was there, Breckenridge has added a city chair lift to the top of their mountain. Chair lifts are devices of doom and they are terrifying and awful. But I went with the family (the things I do...)

A Tim and Clare Day.

2011-08-23T21:24:00.007-06:00

One day on the trip seemed totally dedicated to Tim and I. First stop was the Coors Brewery. Tim and I have been to breweries before, but Tim could go to every one in the country and be totally fine with that, and my parents had never been to one ever, despite their extensive travels, PLUS Christopher JUST turned 21, so it seemed obligatory.

Now I don't like beer, never have, probably never will, so why I took the sample, I don't know, but one baby sip and I handed it back to the guy to toss for me. Nasty. I just don't see the appeal. At all.

But then! The highest appeal! It makes me the biggest nerd in the entire world, but I grew up listening to Adventures in Odyssey, and those who know me well know that I just maybe might still listen to it when I drive in the car. I've been once before to the Mecca of Adventures of Odyssey, and I disagree with a lot of their standpoints, but I can't turn down ice cream at Whits End and buying a few old school volumes on cd!

Good luck finding that Gold....

2011-08-22T11:58:00.000-06:00

In Colorado, you can't ignore this history of thegood old fashioned west. Well, I could celebrate it by just looking upon the gold laden mountains, but my mother cannot be so passive about it. Brought on by her childhood of doing so, she must take us all out to the old crumbling mines and walk around staring at the ground looking for something nice and sparkly. I ususally forego the actual gold hunting part and just enjoy the scenery and amuse at the image of my family SCOURING the ground that has been searched for the past 10+ decades.

One plus to the days on the mountain though are getting to see these totally awesome run down, half demolished, miner's buildings. Getting to explore those is pretty interesting. Another is the picnic lunches on the side of the mountains. Always the same since I was little, chips and sandwiches made that morning. I think it tastes better in the fresh air...

Dad found his piece of Fools Gold. Maybe he can finally get that Ferrari!

But sometimes you just gotta get a cool yoga shot....
This trip though, we found this Mining Museum that Mom wanted to check out. Here's hoping that once was enough, lots of rocks, lots of displays from 1976. Although there was a section dedicated to the uses of the minerals found in the mountains. Here, Tim ponders his environmental footprint on the world...

We also took a tour up in this totally podunk town. We had a feeling right away that it wasn't going to be quite what most would expect from an educational tour. And oh my were we right. I can't even begin to describe how the tour went, but I think if I give you this one image of our "Guide" then you will understand how it ended up going for us. Let me also just say, her mental acuteness and social apptitude match her dental hygiene....

That's a good place to wrap up. Now go brush your teeth.

Birthday Rock Climbing and Mexican Delicious.

2011-08-19T23:12:00.011-06:00

As I am laying on a hotel bed in Fargo, not really wanting to go to sleep quite yet, despite needing my beauty rest for Greg's wedding tomorrow, I figured a mini post from Colorado might be a good way to postpone slumber.

A week or two before we headed to Colorado, Chris had his 21st birthday, and that kid is the hardest person on the planet to shop for. It's virtually impossible to get a good gift for him. So when we had the idea to give him the gift of rock climbing while in Colorado, we were quite pleased with ourselves. Copper Mountain has the nation's largest outdoor climbing wall, so its the perfect place to start. Rock climbing on real mountains was pretty much out of the question since none of us had ever climbed before.

We got our tickets and scooped it out the day before we actually did it. Tim went first and scaled up the 35 feet like a spider monkey. He was half way up the wall before most of us realized he had even started. It was insane. He got all the way to the top, rung the bell, and gave me absolute determination that I was getting to the top too!

I was successful in getting to the top! Despite some major shaking calf muscles. Chris had some other issues. Not a fan of heights apparently. Oops. Guess it wasn't the best gift ever, but we tried! I think we all still had fun though. I hope.

And now for the obligatory food photo. We had Mexican one night in Dillon, and holy wow. This was my grilled veggies with rice. It was delicious. I thought I wouldn't be able to eat my entree because I ate so many chips. But trust me, I had no problems consuming way too much of this dish....

An Apology mixed with Colorado Beauty.

2011-08-14T17:19:00.014-06:00

If you just read this blog for the pictures, go ahead and skip these nice wordy paragraphs of me blathering on and on, and go straight to the bottom of the post for the fun stuff.

I feel like I should apologize to any of the one or two readers out there in the blogworld that actually try to read this. I have done a ridiculously poor job this summer in keeping up with blogging and all of the trips and things that I have been up to. I still haven't even posted about Kenya (although thats for reasons all on its own). And when I have posted, its been in a flurry of of a hurry and without much content actually to it. And frankly, I don't know if the next few posts will be much better.

I haven't really done much all summer, but somehow felt very busy. It seems like the entire first half of the summer was dedicated to preparing and dealing with the Kenya trip, adding quite nicely to my back drama (which is totally healed, with exception of the massive scar across my back). I've been avidly working out like normal, and that takes up so much time in my day that you really probably wouldn't even believe it if i told you. However, I also spent time this summer seeking out a cause for my problems in that. I finally hit that wall where I really couldn't stand it anymore. Over a year and fighting the same battles clearly wasn't going to be able to last much longer and still have my brain on the same sanity levels that the rest of you dwell upon. So appointments were made, and finally, FINALLY, progress has been made. Months (years if you want to go to the very beginning) after this pursuit of health of mine, I am gaining information that could potentially change the rest of my life (fingers crossed). But that literally took a total turn just yesterday, so that's a post for the future.

But now, as summer winds down, now is when the actual crazy starts. Somehow, I feel like I might actually get better posts while I am getting busier, but we shall have to see, won't we? But for now, I have the family vacation to share. I mentioned in a Throwback post about how we used to go to Colorado far more than we have in the past decade, but this year the five of us made it back for a full week at Copper Mountain Resort. The resort has grown so much since the beginning memories I have of it, but its still in the perfect location and full of enough relaxation for a great week.

The first day we took the chairlift (aka contraptions of death and doom) up the side of the mountain. The boys and I hiked all the way up to 12,000 feet and retreated back down to have a great bbq lunch with mom.
It seemed like the first few days were just to get us in the feeling of being there and not at home. I can't say that the 14 hour car ride wasn't exactly the most relaxing part of the trip either. But on the first night there we ate even more delicious barbecue near our lodge at JJ's where I witnessed my brother, a full week and a half after his 21st birthday, order his first drink.
We actually got to celebrate his birthday a bit later in the week as well when he got to use his Birthday present from Tim and I, but more on that later....

Throwback Thursday: Castaway Sunshine.

2011-08-11T12:43:00.004-06:00

This was eleven years ago. ELEVEN. I almost don't believe it. I remember going to Castaway for the first time. I don't even know how to begin to describe it though. It was always explained to kids as Club Med for high school kids. And really it was. A crazy fun experience for a week of the summer. Other than telling you to hop in a time machine and go back and experience it for yourself, I really don't know what else to say.

I remember singing Matchbox 20 with Julie during programming, entering the dining hall to Men Without Hats EVERY night, going parasailing, the banana boat, laying in the hammocks, volleyball tournaments, water fights in the dark, eating a shake of chocolate and vanilla mixed for the first time, totally chickening out on the rockwall, pool tables in the basement, falling asleep on the floor of the bus on the way home. Good times and sunshines.

Although, if you read this and got to go to Castaway, with me, or at some other time, I would love to hear a few memories that you have.

Feel free to judge me.

2011-08-02T19:24:00.004-06:00

Can I whine for a second? I know a billion people have it worse off than I do, but I swear my wallet is the opposite of the forever filling cup. I fill it, and the next time I look, its empty. A few months ago was the total bottoming out paying taxes. But the last month alone has brought on pretty much every random expense possible. So besides the regular utilities, I've shelled out for numerous medical consults, dental, car registration, car insurance, condo insurance, my personal trainer (yeah, wah wah, I know, but still) and seemingly continuing travel expenses for two out of state weddings coming up (again, I know thats my choice, but I love celebrating love with my besties).

Like I said, I know I have a swank life. I travel, I have an awesome family, I don't want for an necessity, or rarely any realistic luxury, but sometimes, living Swiss Family Robinson style with no bills to pay doesn't sound so bad.

Mom, I know you are thinking of all the things I have and that I really think I have no money. Re-read last part of this. I KNOW I DON'T HAVE IT SO BAD. Besides, I'm watching the movie about the girl surfer who got her arm chomped off by a shark, I have both arms, right?

August 2011.

2011-08-01T15:20:00.002-06:00

Olivia says Happy August to you!!! From prison. For being cute.

Cat caught barking?!

2011-07-29T20:38:00.000-06:00

This cat gets caught barking...and then resumes meowing!

So awesome.

Yogi Thoughts.

2011-07-22T15:57:00.002-06:00

Headed off to Colorado for a week of vacay relaxation soon, but I have a quick post for you first.

Food for Yogi thought:
If there is no wind, there is no sailing. If there is no breath, there is no yoga. Only Indian gymnastics on a factory made rubber mat.

Throwback Thursday: Yee Haw!

2011-07-21T02:39:00.008-06:00

I'll be honest, I have zero idea when or where this picture was taken, but let's pretend that its Colorado! Mainly because for the next week, that's where I will be. The glorious land where the air is crisp, clear, and not a thousand degrees heat index. There is really no dedicated plan other than relaxation, a day trip to Denver (Whole Foods and Lululemon!), relaxation, the Breckenridge Alpine slides (weeeeeee), a bit more relaxation, some birthday rock climb with the brobro, and perhaps even a relaxing picnic mountainside!

I cannot wait. We used to go to Colorado all the time when I was growing up. To me it felt like every summer, but I guess I really have no idea if we really did go that often, but it felt like it. Now adays we don't get away out west that often, in fact, I haven't been since before the wedding, and Tim has never been with the Nordyke clan. So its about time!
Everyone really needs to experience sandwiches and shared bags of chips mountainside, getting back in the car halfway through cause its too cold, too windy, or too buggy. But still fun. Less fun was the time that one of my hiking boots got left because it fell out during one of the described lunches, and wasn't noticed til hours later. Lost to the bears for good!

But this year, something tells me my mom won't have packed a box of books in the back for me. Babysitters Club, Thoroughbred Series, Sixteen Candles Club all kept me busy during the long hours in the car. My brother had a box of new toys (not exactly as much of a reader as I was). The catch was that we could only pick out of the box once a day. So once I finished my book, I was out of luck until the next day. This box of books was big enough as it was! Needless to say, I'm kind of a speed reader....

Have a great week people, stay inside, watch KathyLee & Hoda, and make some ice cream! Sounds good enough to me! :-)

Sangria is American, right?

2011-07-17T14:24:00.009-06:00

We arrived back in the glorious USA just in time for Independence Day, and despite my absence in the days up to it, Tim decided to host a 4th of July party. Now, it does make sense, cause we have the best view intown for our measly version of fireworks. But they are fireworks nonetheless, and its a great reason to have people over, especially when Tim is willing to clean the whole house in preparation and me being gone. I mean, I COULD have done it the morning of, but I was so beat that really the only thing I got done besides baking was some of this action...
But really, who would give up a perfectly precious nap with three cuddling felines in order to clean their bathroom? Not me! And while I was in sweet slumber, he was busy prepping a delicious rack of ribs, slow roasted all afternoon, and then grilled to perfection! All I had to do was whip up some dessert. Brownies were the obvious choice (chocolate is always required), but such an American holiday needs something appley! Thus...
I mean, I think it turned out well. It kinda looks like yard mulch, but it sure doesn't taste like it. Appley almond raisin goodness all wrapped in flaky crust ;-)

Unfortunately, I was so zonked out by the time people got there that I totally slacked in the photo taking opportunities. i got like three all night. And they were all in the dark, unable to see anything that was going on. But it was a successful party, even in my zombie like state. 20+ people in our little baby backyard. Chillin, eatin ribs and watermelon, drinking Tim's homemade sangria, playing with sparklers until the fireworks went off. Anything past that was pretty much a haze. Most of the attendees were Tim's coworkers and friends, thankfully, cause I'm pretty sure I would have won most out of it hostess of the night. Although, Matt just thought I was drunk...oh well!

Next year will be bigger and better! Cause I sure won't be on the mend from another African adventure. Trust me.

As a sidenote, look at these pretty "Welcome Home/Thanks for not killing anyone/Good job not getting eaten by a hippo" flowers from Tim/Dad! They survived a long time, just dying a few days ago. They were big and open and beautiful!

Throwback Thursday: Birthday Brother!!

2011-07-14T17:01:00.005-06:00

Moving away from the bruises of the last post...and into the long overdue Throwback Thursday picture!!

Today is this little boy's 21st birthday!!!
Oh Christopher. May your birthday weekend in Chicago be glorious.

PS: He's kinda rockin the Harry Potter glasses ahead of his time....

Kickbox Killer! (Reference)

2011-07-14T16:27:00.007-06:00

We kick boxed for the first time during training today. I loved it. LOVED it. I think I just like to hit things. And from the following pictures, I think I might be good at it....

Kenyan Recovery Process.

2011-07-12T19:06:00.001-06:00

I did survive. I was NOT eaten by a hippo.

I have had a bunch of people asking about the Kenya trip and how it was and to see pictures and all that jazz, and it will come. I promise. Soon hopefully.

I have been back for slightly over a week now, but only back to myself for a day or two. Coming back home was not a culture shock (as our leader claimed it would be, thus the pizza dinner on our last night?). No, it was a complete release of emotional and psychological trauma and stress.

Trauma might be a heavy handed word, but by my mental and physical reaction to getting out of that situation, it feels like its the most relevant. It took a massive amount out of me. I was quick to blame all the irregular medications I was on (antibiotics for my stitches, malarone, and all the lovely pills I normally take). But I really don't think that was it alone, combine very little sleep (I was getting about 4 hours a night), absolutely no personal or reflection time from 7am-10pm, relationships that would drive Ghandi up a wall. Then throw in a completely unbalanced diet (veggie and fruit free, my nightmare) and zero possibilities of working out, and you have a completely hazed and lucid situation.

The above paragraph totally underestimates the importance of how much I was driven completely batty on this trip by key members of the group. It was 95% of the problem, and it took literally every ounce of my sanity to hold back and not launch into the jugulars of people. (If you were on this trip, and reading this, I probably don't mean you)

It's amazing how weird and scary not feeling like yourself can actually get.

But yes. Sleep has somewhat been restored, yoga has been restarted, clarity is still slowly coming back, and I am beginning to feel like a normal person again. I haven't even gotten through telling Tim about the whole trip yet. I kinda feel like its war just to go through it all again, same with the pictures. Sorting them is just like reliving it and I can only do so many at a time. It doesn't help that I have an endless 2100 to get through. I havent even actually finished journalling. That will be a long while. That takes energy that I just still don't have.

So keep your eye out. Pictures will be around in a Kenyan minute. But hopefully sooner!

Namaste.

July 2011

2011-07-04T06:15:00.003-06:00

Myla wishes you a happy 4th of July today!

Her favorite colors are red, white, blue, and cheez its.

Tray tables in upright and locked position!

2011-06-24T16:28:00.001-06:00

24 hours later…

Thanks for the full day layover Chicago! And by that I really just mean Rick Bayless’ Mexican. God that was good.

Here’s hoping we get to London now.

Getting to Nairobi without further incident would take a Cubs Series win….

Cue Lion King Theme.

2011-06-23T06:36:00.003-06:00

I just wrote a huge post about my surgeries and back ordeal. So scroll on down if you are interested in those shenanigans that have lasted far too long!

We leave for Kwambekenya in a few hours, but we won’t get there until tomorrow. Via Chicago, London, and Nairobi.

As a self-admitted terrified flier (odd with all the traveling I do, I know), feel free to send up some prayers to the plane and higher if you think of it today. Xanax can do a lot, but I’ll take all the help I can get :-)

Sara Fitzgerald has been deemed the blogger for the group on this trip and should be posting daily updates to http://www.plcblogs.org/influence So if you want to check out our progress in Kenya. Here is your opportunity!!!

I’ll be back July 3rd, so after resting and a crazy amount of laundry, keep a look out for crazy picture and blog posts of my own!

Plug me into the Matrix.

2011-06-23T06:33:00.000-06:00

So before I make the trek across the Pond today, I figured a quick update on my back might be of interest to some people. I haven't really mentioned it before I don't think, but it has grown into quite the situation and we will be keeping our fingers crossed that it won't be even more of a situation while in Africa.

It started with a simple mole in between my shoulder blades that the the dermatologist didn't like the look of. No biggie. He did an in office little slice of it with a razor, along with a spot on my leg. Leg came back fine, the back one needing a little bit more to look at. More than he would do in the office, so enter Dr. Barnard, plastic surgeon (the most time efficient doctor on the planet, I have walked out of every single appt within ten minutes of the designated start time, plus he's just oozing with swagger charisma). We had a consult, and a week later the real time line started.

Thursday, June 2nd: Surgery #1. Despite being an outpatient procedure, making an incision in my back about 1.5" long and .75" tall, it still involves going to the big kid OR at the hospital. Goes well, much better than I thought it would. Doctor and nurses were rockin, took a little extra numbing, but I felt nothing and felt good coming out of it.

For the next 10 days, it didn't hurt much, but the itching was almost beyond tolerable. All the time, itch itch itch. Pretty normal.

Tuesday, 14th: I go in to have the stitches taken out like planned. He snips them out, but notices two points of infection in the suture holes, nothing crazy, prescribes an antibiotic, and that is that. Still itches a bit, but no more fear of pulling out stitches by rubbing it.

Wednesday, 15th: Tim was changing my bandage in the evening, and notices a hole in my back. Right where the incision was. About the size that you could stick a pencil eraser into it, only when you see a hole AT ALL in your own flesh, it's a huge freak out moment. We called Barnard immediately in the morning. And he basically said that's pretty expected with the infection, gave me an extended antibiotic to last throw my entire trip to Africa (an ENTIRE other bag of worms, open wound with third world water....bad news), and said come in and he would check it after I returned. Sounds good to me.

Saturday, 18th: I hadn't been paying too good of attention to it, and for some reason I thought to have Tim take a closer look at the wound, and I am glad I did because we learned that basically the entire 1.5" incision had ripped right open. There was a hole close to the size of a half dollar between my shoulders. And this isn't like a layer of skin or two deep, this is a good deep crater. Melt down at my parents house. Determined not to go to the ER, called Barnard immediately Monday morning for an appointment, mere days away from Kenya, thinking up all the different ways to keep the wound completely covered so no baby droplet of water hits it, but is still able to heal. Not exactly an ideal worry to think about for a mission trip.

Tuesday, 21st: Check in with Barnard, who immediately started manipulating the skin to figure out the best way to go back in and sew it back up. I guess I should mention in all of this that short of the initial surgery day after pain, and the itching (which could be painful at times, with the inability to itch), it hasn't hurt at all. None. And in figuring out how to sew it back, it still wasn't hurting. I mean, this HUGE hole was taking a manhandling with nothing. So I have that to be majorly thankful for.

Wednesday, 22nd: Surgery #2. Back to the same OR to have it all done again. I was NOT a happy camper to learn that he was going to be restitching it shut. For numerous reasons, but mainly the stitches themselves. The itch factor, the lack of comfort factor, and being freshly raw for a 24 hour travel adventure to Africa, and then 10 days with new stitches, and not just new stitches, but ones that have been redone, meaning they are that much tighter across the back, is less than awesome. No backpacks going through the airports, rubbing on the seats, I can't really stretch yet, then just being there. No yoga. No working out. Ugh. What he thought would matter, but doesn't (at least to me) is that he did THREE layers of stitches, and the first time he tried to kinda hide them in the skin, but this time, it was old school in and out over and under, and WIDE. So the scar is going to be less invisible. Whatever, Im not that vain.

Its a little under 24 hours later, and I am in a lot more pain than I was the first time around. Partly due to the stiches, partly due to the fact that the injection sites for the numbing were covered by adhesive, and if you saw my back right now, it has been a red railroad of reactions to adhesive. Its been 3 weeks pretty much solid in adhesive bandages. And is about to continue to be another two weeks. No breathing for this skin. Its an issue.

As a gross side note, not only did he just stitch it back up again, but he did something I didn't think possible. I had a hole in my back, the "wound." Well, he removed "the wound," how you remove a hole, I wouldn't know, but he pulled out a glob of skin that made it look like he took a melon baller to my back. I half thought my spine was exposed because of the blob of bloody flesh that he showed me. I nearly threw up in the OR. So maybe thats what hurts.

He's going to check it a few days after I get back, but then the stitches will be left in still another week (three total, as opposed to 12 days the first time). As he said, I am going to be "best friends" with these stitches by the end of it. Which short of the pain and itchees on the trip, I am ok with. I REALLY don't need to go through this again. I need my yoga practice ;-)

So any and all prayers accepted for this wound. It's going to be a challenge to keep it clean, but its non negotiable. It MUST stay clean. Infection is not an option. I can handle some itch and some pain, but its a handful right now, and any prayer for it to notch it down a few levels would be amazing.

That's my story! Sorry to gross you out if it did. Just be glad I didn't post the pictures. Because I do have some. No really super awesome shots, mostly all of them are slightly out of focus, but enough to NOT post on the internet to save people's upchuck reflex. :-)

Throwback Thursday: Breakfast in Bed Daddy!

2011-06-16T11:22:00.003-06:00

Father's Day. 1987. Kind of a lame breakfast, but was a year and a half! I can only do so much! ;-)
I love my Daddy. But I like him a lot more when he has a shirt on.
Although, these days, he probably is just as skinny as when this picture was taken (although this picture has his face looking total Tom Cruise).

A Yogi's Wisdom.

2011-06-12T20:46:00.001-06:00

You don't have a soul.
You are a soul.
You have a body.

I heard this at yoga yesterday morning. Still kinda pondering it.
What do you think of it?

Twiddling my Thumbs.

2011-06-10T12:40:00.000-06:00

It's been a boring couple of days. With some very random thoughts.

-Cedar Falls can thank me later for the growth of cherry trees between my house and the gym, due to my post run/pre boot camp snack...

-Driving up to the house yesterday, I saw a package outside the front door. I got super excited, thinking someone had sent me a package because I had nothing on order. No one sends me packages! It was going to be exciting! Got inside, opened up the front door, and it was the 2011-2012 Yellow Pages. I am clearly pathetic.

-I need to find a better vessel for ketchup. I find myself craving french fries (super no no in my diet) but I am 98% sure its just so I can eat ketchup. And no, ketchup does not belong on eggs. Nor is it catsup.

-As a kid, I remember LOVING getting the one cherry out of the can of mixed fruit. It was a legit highlight. Like getting the dessert out of the side dish.
I put a can in some jello yesterday to get rid of it (why I had a can, I have NO idea) and ate the cherry. And it was gross. So gross that I checked the can for the expiration date.
Clearly my tastebuds have changed.
Sidenote: It was a can of Very Cherry, and it contained a whole whopping three cherries. Not that I mind, cause ick, but still, you would think Very Cherry would have more than three.....

-Anyone read this that remembers the pink hair kid at Emerson? Moreso that he wouldn't eat honey because he was vegan....yeah, that was weird and stupid.

-In less than two months, I have watched 70 episodes of Ally McBeal and three seasons of Weeds. I think Tim needs to work less. Or I WILL turn into a crazy cat lady.

-I have run 15 miles a day every day (except one) for the past two weeks. I'm bore.

No Lightning Bolt Scar for Me!

2011-06-07T21:19:00.001-06:00

It's been awhile since a real update, but I can't say anything extremely out of the ordinary AND exciting has happened recently. A few weeks ago Tim, Mom, and I went up to a day trip to Minneapolis to do a bit of shopping, but nothing crazy (unless you count the amount of things we got at Whole Foods, or the receipt I had from Lululemon....).

I've also had more than a few battles with the scale, which has led me to start the Skinny Girl brand of Restore and Cleanse, just thought I might feel a bit better. And it has, if by better you think I mean I feel like I want to choke all the while drinking the two packets a day. Although if I mix it with half a lemonade packet, hold my breath, chug a few swallows, then still hold my breath while I chase it with a regular packet juice, the exhale, I can handle it. Kinda. Ugh. Its gross people. Really really gross.

Along the lines of probably too much information, I have been exiled from the land of yoga for too long (a few days), hopefully ending tomorrow *fingers crossed*. This coming from the fact that I have about an inch and a half of wire sewn into my back that I don't want to be torn out by an overly aggressive downward dog. Ok, that sounds much more exciting than it is. I had a suspicious mole on my back, they sliced it off with a razor, felt that it was an even sneakier bugger than they thought and went back with what seemed like a machete and took quite a chunk out that required lots of stitching. And really, the only thing that is hindered by it is yoga. Ugh. Although yesterday and today, it has been itching like crazy. Its all I can do to not take a hairbrush to it. But I wouldn't exactly like to revisit the Covenant Surgical Center if I can help it. It was quite the experience though, the nurses came in for quite the party and I got lots of pre-warmed sheets. Not too bad if he didn't slice and dice me.

But I swear not all of my life is a physical mess! The beginning of summer is taking a chill pill (or a sweltering hot pill) in preparation for the insanity that is coming up. 10 days in Africa is looming quite soon. Not exactly the way I thought I would be feeling about it, but there isn't much to do about it unfortunately. I'll go and try not to punch too many white people in the face. That will be that. Then the day after I get back is our 4th of July party which Tim has taken charge of. So at least I'll have that to directly look forward to while in Kenya.

Then a family vacation to Colorado for a week, which will be absolutely SPLENDID. I havent been to Copper Mountain in five-ish years and I want to go now. Like, yesterday. It's going to be perfect. I can just tell now.

A wedding weekend in Fargo. Then a fantabulous wedding outside of Boston which we are turning into a week long trip involving an Incubus concert, a Cirque du Soleil show, Boston vs Yankees game, few days in Boston, capped off with the wedding and subsequent wedding bonfire.

And then athletic season starts.....the football and volleyball schedule is already out. Seems like summer is already almost over before it's begun!

June is not soon. It's now!

2011-05-31T20:15:00.001-06:00

Nessa is ready for baseball season! Happy June everybody! Yay summer!

I might turn blue!!!

2011-05-30T20:50:00.004-06:00

I'm not watch for grilling meat. In fact, Im not really a meat person. So today's Memorial Day brought us blueberry almond pancakes and turkey bacon instead of hamburgers and coleslaw. I would say QUITE the success.

Real Life Yogi.

2011-05-24T13:28:00.003-06:00

Living in Iowa and researching studios for my 200 hour yoga certification is not a fun combo. In fact, it is quite frustrating. I can't be driving up to Minneapolis twice a week for a few hours. No! No I can't. But I really really want to.

And so researching continues.

Blog friends that I don't know in normal life, any insight on locations to get certified? I am going to have to travel as it is, so even if it's where you live, let me know if you loved it! Who knows what will happen.

*fingers crossed*
Namaste ;-)

Oompa Loompa, doompa dee dee!

2011-05-16T12:25:00.020-06:00

As promised, my uncle Mike as an oompa loopa. It was one of the best performance’s you could see all year. My uncle is mentally retarded and has the mental capabilities of a five year old, but he has the energy and spunk of one too. He lives in a group home and the community he lives/works/communes with puts on a musical each year. Costumes, sets, songs, the whole shebang. They have “shadows” that feed them their lines behind their backs as the show goes on. Its truly fantastic.

This year was Willy Wonka, (Alice in Wonderland and Wizard of Oz have been previous years) and Mike donned the orange face paint and green wig to grace the stage (usually center stage, his favorite spot).
Mike TeeVee's shrinking scene.

Charlie was better than they could have dreamed of. The man in black behind him is his shadow, who helps with lines, but Charlie knew a solid chunk of them without any prompts at all.

Encore!