Cat caught barking?!

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

So awesome.

Yogi Thoughts.

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!

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?

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!!

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)

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.

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

Myla wishes you a happy 4th of July today!

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