My new blog!

Well, as some of my faithful readers may know, I am doing a new Yoga blog as a school project. Sadly, that leaves me a little less time to write here so I figure you guys could go there too and help me out with witty comments and thought provoking questions. So while I am putting my efforts there please feel free to visit me there for the time being!

http://yogisamantha.wordpress.com/

The Zoo and just being with me!

Yesterday, I had such a wonderful day and I was all by myself! I went to the zoo and took pictures of the animals (no kids to say "Can we go now?") and then shopped in the downtown area of Tempe. I found a little Genasha statue! I put it in the career area of my home to remove obsticals from me and my husbands career paths (I practice Feng Shui). I also found some prayer beads made from bone. Usually I wouldn't get anything made of bone but I felt that in all actuality since I I was drawn to these red beads that were made in India that I would honor that animal. My first prayer is for it and all animals. Maybe I am justifying this. I even ate lunch all by myself. I am reading the book Eat Pray Love and felt empowered yesterday to go for the pleasure of things. BTW, I do recommend that book very highly.
I have also been working very hard on my Yoga blog lately. I am almost ready to share it with everyone. Can you tell what this is a picture is of?

102 post, plus where have I been?

Wow, I have really neglected this blog! Just noticed that this post will be my 102 post! That is so awesome! I am proud. Interestingly enough I will probably have a little more time over this holiday season to keep this blog up. I don't want to loose it that is for sure.
November was great fun. My in laws came out to visit. I found out that there is a Tumbleweed tree in my city's downtown square! Not only is it lit every year on December 1st, they have been doing this for 50+years! I didn't even know this! How could I nor know something like that! Well, I plan on going to see it all lit up in its magical glory. One thing that is a little ironic is that here in Arizona it was popular for a few years to get a tumbleweed and decorate them as the family Christmas tree. Needless to say, the area fire departments were not happy about it! So my guess is that the city must treat this tumbleweed tree with fire retardants.
I hope that your Thanksgiving was great and I hope the Holiday Season is a happy one for you and your family!

Wow! I am so busy!

Hey all! You wouldn't believe it if I told you but life is sure busy these days. Sadly it is only going to get busier too. Between all the writing that I have been doing and the fact that I plan on starting a blog about all things Yoga for my independent project I am going to have even less time for my little blog. Sadly it is always the first to be neglected. When I have some good stuff on my Yoga blog I will post a link here so that you all can check it out and help me with all of your fabulous input. I will try to post at least a short post every so often. I love my little blog and I do not really want to lose it!

Insight on eating.

I probably should have just posted this on my nutrition blog but I think like three more people than that read this one and I wanted other people to actually read this and tell me what they thought.

In my last yoga class my teacher made the theme non hoarding. Well I often relate themes to the way I eat because I am a weight crazed American that never can be too thin so I had this thought about hoarding-

Eating too much food is even more wasteful than throwing it in the trash. This is because when you throw it in the trash no more of your energy is wasted on the food. Otherwise we have to put time, thoughts and even money into wasting the excess energy that we put in our body (aka the diet industry!). Now that is truly a waste right!?

Did you ever notice that when you read a so called "break though" weight loss headline it either says "Eat as much as you like and lose weight" or "Eat whatever you like and lose weight" but never says "Eat as much as you like and whatever you like to lose weight"?

Essentially if you like to eat a lot of food- eat lots of fruits and vegetables. If you like to eat your favorite food- watch your portions.

This little story is from one of my Yoga Teacher Trainer reading assignments.
There was once a spiritual student standing silently at the edge of a group of students who had gathered from the surrounding countryside. Each student in the group was bragging of the miracles that their master could perform: "My master can balance on one fingertip and lift his whole body in the air," said one enthusiastic speaker. "Well mine can stand on one side of a river and write something in the air and have that symbol appear on rice paper on the other side of the river," said another. The comparisons went on until finally the small group turned to the silent student standing behind them. "And what can your master do?" they asked. The quiet student stepped a bit closer and in a soft voice said the following:
"My Master can drink when he's thirsty, eat when he's hungry and sleep when he is tired."

It can take a lifetime to master that!! Wow!

Stephen Won The Tour De Scottsdale

I lied. He didn't exactly win but he did do it and he finished it! 70 miles! I am so proud of him! He decided that he wanted to do it and he recruited someone from the gym to go with him. He signed up and was even going to do it alone. Funny thing, he complained that they were hand out junky food at the race. He wanted stuff like fruit or something and this was his quote mind you, he said "all they had were Oreos and that is not good, right?" Holy shmoly! I am completely shocked! He got a shirt and a very cool medal. If you ever thought that someone you know will never want to eat healthy remember that my husband at one time thought chicken nuggets were health food because they were *chicken*. He once thought the perfect diet consisted of beef and cookies. Now he has said he notices a difference in his skin when eats better. He feels better when he eats better. He likes how he feels when he eats healthier food! Amazing! He has come so far!
Notice the Blizzard Dairy Queen cup over the left shoulder. This is the shirt and the nifty medal that Stephen won! We did have to celebrate!

Sorry I have neglected my blog!

For the three or four faithful readers, I am sorry that I have not been here to blog as often as I should be. I do have an excuse. I have been writing somewhere else! Yes, I got another writing gig at a great site called Lest Out (pronounced lay too). I am the Beauty and Style channel guide! How awesome is that. First, I didn't want to blog about it as to not jinx it, you know. Then I didn't want to send anyone there when I had nothing posted yet but now I have quite a few articles!
If there is anything that you want to know more about in the Beauty and Fashion area, I would happy to address it in my section on Lest Out.
BTW, Hawaii was awesome! I just need to take the time to move to the pictures off my camera. Here is a taste- a picture of me taken by my Photographicly gifted freind Kathy. I rarely like pictures of myself but, this one I like! Even with my frizzy wind blown hair!