Bliss Beyond Naptime

This Moment ~ Yogi and Boo Boo

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. ~Amanda Soule

Bed Yoga Head

 

I was reminded recently of the power of even just a few minutes of yoga can have on the outlook  I hold for the rest of the day and for just simply getting reacquainted with my currently hormonally up heaved body. This reminder was then further reinforced during the latest session of my Kaizen Muse Creative Coaching training ~ which is zooming along super spanky and I looooooove it and can't wait to share all the tools I'm picking up along this amazing journey with you.

Yes ~ five minutes of yoga! Yes ~ five minutes of anything blissful you want to experience during your busy mama-ing day!

Back with a Splash

 

Oooooo... I feel goooood. Just what the inner feel good doctor ordered. This yoga retreat is definately going to have to be an annual event. Why don't you join me next time? It can be a secret Backwoods Mama expedition. That would be so sneaky! In this glorious setting I picked up a few life skills for my journey, got back in touch with my authentic self, fell in deeper love with her and came home to a beautiful, healthy and thriving family that, who I'm sure missed me in their own special way, grew so apparently much from my absence. Yes, we are all still glowing from this adventure.

Oh what a glorious rhythm we had going on there. At 6:15 there was a designated wake up fairy that frolicked through the forest dinging a bell to gently wake us from slumber. From 7 to 8 we had private practice together before breakfast. At 8:50 I got to gong the bell for the guided meditation followed by a yoga class before lunch. Yes, this routine did make me pretty sleepy after the first day (especially since my dear friend Kimberly was there too and we ended up gabbing until the wee hours each night). But luckily they happen to still have the espresso maker I left behind four years ago. Phew! That was a close call.

We had free time after lunch and going for a swim in the bath water temperature lake was a no brainer. There were canoes available to hop onto but I chose the walking distance spots to avoid the embarassement of paddling around in circles. Up there is the designated Lizard Goddess spot with more boobies than you can shake a weaning two and half year old at. It was glorious to splay out on the flat rock and then simply roll into the lake to cool off and then roll back up on to the rocks. Yes, a fancy trick only a yogini can pull off. All in the mula bandha, my friend.

Usually though, I would venture out on my own for a little more solitude and relief from the sun that was basking down on us the whole time. This beach had the most beautiful pebbles you can imagine (I collected many for Miss Edie for she loves pretty rocks) and was only a magical ten minute hike away. I hung out here usually in the afternoons before hiking back, plopping out on the hammock and knitting until snacktime. Snacktime deserves a smiley face if ever there was a word that does. Then more practice from four to six, supper and a sharing circle. Beautiful forever bonds were created in this short sweet time.

And here our my beloved gurus. Karuna led the yoga while her husband Paul led the meditations. True masters; both of them shining inspirations to me to foster a consistant, solid practice and shining out and sharing the joy and love that overflows my cup. I'll be back next year and hopefully, with my intention to practice each morning before milking Miss Daisy, I'll be back everyday.

Operation: Recharge!

The countdown is on! In three days I'll be off to Tipi camp ~ all by my lonesome self! We use to go to Tipi camp for a yoga retreat as a family but this time Mama's on her own. I have been planning my 'weaning weekend' getaway for a while. Now that Kale's been pretty much nightweaned for a while now, this getaway will serve mainly as a mommy battery recharge as I swan dive into a fall full of exciting projects and back to school nerdy keener leanings that I've always been known for. 

Things that will charge me up over at (boat access only!) Tipi Camp:

• completely catered organic vegetarian meals that are yummmmm-my!
• meals and snacks that seem continuous and overlap each other which is important for us constantly hungry types
• uninterrupted adult conversation with like-minded folk
• many yoga classes to help me get intimate again with my inner yogini
• once in a while massage from one of my best friends who will be the official masseuse there
• canoeing to private beaches and letting 'the ladies' hang out undisturbed ;)
• swimming out to a remote dock first thing in the morning instead of swimming out to the the cow shed for morning milking
• knitting on a beach and making actual headway on my baby sweater for a friend before baby's not so baby anymore
• getting a whiff of pre-kid Kathy

And things to look forward to when I get back from Tipi Camp:

• mommy batteries all charged up, of course
• two children well intact
• house not burned down
• husband recharged from spending four glorious days filled with one on one time with his offspring (if not we'll let him have his couple of climbing days)
• homeschooling preparation (which involves fun tasks like seeking out someone ready to shear their sheep this fall and picking out school supplies from Mercurius and paying for them with our pre-loaded homeschooling visa card!)
• preparing to dive into my studies for my Simple Parenting Leader training
• launching Indian Summer Sew Camp!

Yes, there's been a minor change in sew camping plans. Due to my super plate full this September I decided to downsize my Fall Sew Camp offerings. I didn't want to bail on the camp offering all together but also knew that realistically I couldn't afford the time or energy to go super gung ho like I wanted to. So I came up with a compromise; instead of four projects two really cute and simple ones will be offered at a fraction of the price. These two backwoods mama style wardrobe staples will complement sweetly the eventual Fall Camp 2012 offerings. I just want to do a real fine job for my backwoods ladies, know what I'm saying?

Ai yi yi. Lots to do this week to prepare for my absence. Primarily, I need to cook up a storm to leave the family with a bunch of simply throw into the oven meals (otherwise it may be nachos for four days straight) and get some fall gardening chores done. How about you? How are you celebrating and recharging your batteries at this exciting, deep in breath taking, time of year?

Half-Job Hajduk

That's Craig's sweet little pet name for me. Hajduk was what they called me before he paid my dowry (or did I have to pay his? I can't remember. My brain's so fried these days). Everything's all kind of half job these days. Just trying to roll with this variety show they call Nap Time.  I can't help it, but the more I decide to stave off some of my crafting pursuits to embrace the calling of homemaker and rock the roll of family rock the more I get these borderline insane surges of great ideas that I need to materialize now or else the world's going to implode unto itself. So up there in my machine I have a ensemble idea coming to life (think neo-back to the lander yet looking cute gear) very slowly. Or quite quickly considering my alloted five minute chunks of time at the machine. The commotion of the machine wakes up the little critter from his naps. Greaaat. The debut of my second Etsy shop will thus be delayed. Somewhere between a month and twelve years.

Here's another Half-Job speciality area; the knitting department. Especially the knit-along beast. Anything-along really get's an extra Half-Job dose. Does that make it a Full-Job then? Up there too is my Soule Mama-wannabe attempt at making a vest for Kale. I might have to upgrade to the original adult sizing because of Kale's, ahem, girth. In between all of this, I'm researching and applying for various aspects of Edie's homeschooling journey that will probably begin in the Fall. Good thing I'm treating myself to a seven week long yoga series exploring the chakras starting tonight. I'm hoping this will help muffle the little big idea voices in my head. I'll resist the temptation to tip toe out the door half way through the practice mouthing out I have to go to my guru while pointing at my boobs. You know it wouldn't be a post around here without ending with the word 'boobs'.

Back to the Grind

Oi! Stink foot! Think I'm going to suck it! We're home now, safe and sound - back from a whirl windy family visiting trip. Though homesick, I got to sit back, knit and bask in the glory of my Mom's Peruvian cooking. Love being back to the day to day routines I love and thrive in though. Here we are back to starting the day with Kale adjusting Craig in a morning yoga practice while Mama finishes her coffee and online stuff - parenting's my yoga these days. Edie's up a few hours later (sleeper-inner!).

And of course, Barney. In case I forgot to mention, Kale and Barney have a special thing going on. They really missed each other so while we were away visiting family - many of whom got to meet Kale for the first time. The reunion between these two was bordering on making me jealous. Meanwhile, it's been hot here so we try to spend the remainder of the day eating, cleaning up after our eats, hanging out and creating in the coolness of the strawbale walls. Love!

And guess what this is. It's a felted pencil case coughing up a handspun fur ball! I call it Barney. Just kidding. This is Petunia; your friendly hand-spun in a felted bag gifty gift! Two more colourways are in the fiber pipes and will be listed in my shop over the next couple of days. Off to crank off some bloomers for sale too! Deets to follow in my newsletter due out next week. Stay coo.

Yarn Asana's Mine

We have a pretty steady morning rhythm here I find quite comforting. Typically, I wake up first, (my first thoughts being the realization that these are probably the last couple of months of eking out some quiet morning solitude). I make my latte breve - though they're getting shorter and shorter as Craig gently guides me to smaller and smaller mugs to use. Primarly to coax out a mellower kid but mostly to avoid me chucking out a third of my brew. I usually drink my morning coffee until Drippy starts his morning kicky dance. And the dance is happening sooner and sooner.

Craig then has a clean glass of spring water from the mountain out on our backyard (hey, I use the same though it's mixed up with some gorgeous black beans) and then slips out into the front deck for his morning practice. While he does his asana routine I take pictures, spin in my office or sit here at the kitchen table and do my "work". I took these pictures for instance on some yarns I whipped up over the weekend. I needle felted these flowers while watching The Business of Being Born (I 'won' it on Ebay - Yay! Craig loves it when I say that). Oh. MY. Gawd. Every woman thinking of having kids and their partners must see it. No. Everyone must see it. Produced by Ricki Lake after the homebirth of her second son, it really raises some profound points on the direction humanity is taking when we don't consider the social/spiritual implications of leaving such a natural process well enough alone when there is no real emergency need for intervention. Really educational on the history of American attitudes and practices surrounding birth.  I brought it over to our knitting circle last night and we watched it together. And cried. Okay, only me and Edie's doula cried but still.

I digress. Watch it if you can. SO I threw these flowers on both Blueberry Flower Fairy and Sheet Dreams - a thick and thin Blue Faced Leicster spun up with the other pillow case that matches Edie's Good Sheet Pillow Case dress. I'll throw those up on my shop later. I'm trying to get a nice inventory going for the beginning of September. There's an epic Garlic Festival that goes on that I plan on sharing a table with my friend Jane at. She dyes, spins and then machine knits these gorgeous sweaters so we figure that would be a nice complement; yarn/sweaters. Busy bee. I'll do actual yoga with Edie when she wakes. Craig, if you read this, that little blue mug is waaaay too short.

Drippy, Edie and Me in a Tipi (and Dada too!)

It was that time of year again. The Family Yoga Retreat at tipi camp. You guys should come next year! The kids love it. We opted out of the tipi accomodations and stayed in our three man tent instead. Next year we'll have to upgrade to a tipi to fit our multiplying selves and various knitted and knitting items.

It's a nice opportunity to lay off the meal making and dish washing routine and just settle into just being with the family and other families and look forward to some yoga-ing if you're so inclined. The meals, like last year, were so incredibly nourishing, tasty and seamlessly flowing from one snack to another.

All about the food these days. That and lounging around all sloth-like. And getting a little massage in a little tipi. Thankfully, next year there's plans to offer a stay put a little longer option that I think we need to take them up on. I was just getting into it and then; okay, bye now!

 

Check out where all the yoga was happening! I heard Craig and Edie talking when he was putting her to sleep and he asked her what her favorite part of yoga camp was. She said the kid's yoga.

Look at my little downward dogger! Itty Bitty Edie Yogini!

How I Spent My Summer Holiday...

First of all, thank you all soooooo much for all the way to goes last post. It warms me all the commoderie to be found in this bizarre world called blogging (so hard to explain the beauty to non-bloggers without sounding like a freak). I love you guys.

We attended a Family Yoga Retreat this long weekend not too far from us, a short ferry ride then water taxi trip. There was full-on catering and tippi accomodations if we were so inclined.

We spent the four days swimming, attending three yoga classes a day (Craig and I took turns, there was a kid-friendly one too), eating amazing vegetarian fare prepared by the staff (no dishes, yay!) and just basically goofing/lounging around. Edie got to hang with some yogi kids and even made a new best friend (Craig's backpack lost its status, yay!).

One Drama Queen moment I'd like to share because you know, the beauty of blogging. When we were almost at the camp a feeling crept up leaving me to believe on a 65% level that I left the iron on. I called three neighbours to peep through my basement window to confirm it either way. I'm somewhat more embarassed of the thought that the locals think I iron before a camping weekend. It was, of course, to iron out the seams of Edie's hemp poncho I whipped up for her right before our trip. You know, to protect her alabaster-like skin. Like right before. Thus I left the iron on, perhaps. Luckily, our friend was able to jimmy a window open, crawl through, crawl back out the way he came to report back, right before I lost my yogic cool that I indeed unplug it. I thought so!

 

We had a frog living on top of our sleeping quarters,our tent, again. This happened throughout my pregnancy when we'd stay in the Horniman Trailer. Little critter kept waking us up at 5:00 am. We believe it's Edie's power animal. Can't you see the resemblance?

Sweet greens...

Fart Farm

I have been busy. This time of year is typically my busiest season with Do Be Clean plus I'm back into teaching yoga which has been such a saviour in keeping some element of balance in my life. Not to mention it gets me out of the house once in a while.

Above is the building I'm teaching out of. It's nestled in a patch of property known as the Art Farm. Because my class is running through the supper hour I called the yoga cd Craigy made me "Fart Farm". You know, you're digesting, you're twisting, you have yourself the makings of a Fart Farm.

I've been crafty too. While crafting and whipping up lots of soap I've been listening to lots of podcasts including Cast-On, Lime n Violet and Sticks n String. I'm still exploring the plethora of podcasts out there. I don't know if it's because of early onset of cabin fever but loving the sound of a human voice while I create. Of course this has got me thinking I would love to have a podcast to call my own. Craig thinks that's not the greatest idea cuz Mommy's time is stretched pretty thin these days but don't you think the world needs a podcast talking about knitting and crafting while taking breaks to do yoga once in a while? Or does that sound too tiring? I guess I'm still trying to incorporate my yoga and crafting life together somehow.

When I have a moment I'll be taking pictures of some finished objects and will be sharing them soon. Until then, might I direct you to my updated website? I have displayed my full soap collection available plus links to my new Do Be Clean blog to keep customers in the loop on specials, promotions contests and such as well as to this blog here. Just for fun.