Finding Life's Rewards

I am finally starting to feel alive again.  For awhile, I felt like I was sinking with stress from work and stress at home.  Now, I finally feel a better direction in life and also in my professional life.  This is not just by chance, but because I have been making a conscious effort to find balance, peace and joy in my life.  Although, I am not currently playing music in a band (which had always been a big stress relief for me...) I am doing things which make my life better and more enjoyable.

Sometimes, it is easy to forget what a blessing my job is.  Sometimes, it is easy to get caught up in the responsibility factor and stop looking at the rewards factor.  Being an Executive Director of an Assisted Living community has many responsibilities and stresses that go along with it.  I get too caught up in the "tasks" of the job and not in the "relationships" I am making. This week, I have been trying to focus more of my energy on the relationship aspects.  I've been trying to have more one on one time with the residents and  their families.  I have been finding the joy that comes with a big smile or a hug from a resident.  It feels so good to know that I am truly making a difference in their lives and providing a quality of life for them.  Sometimes, you  just have to forget about the papers, reports, conference calls and emails and just look at the heart of what you do.  I am so fortunate to be making a difference and going to a job where I love the people.
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Other things which have been helping me are that my husband and I have started finding some common ground with our gardening ideas and "green living." I've been enjoying our discussions and excitement about our plans.  It is so nice to have stuff we can do together.


On my own personal front, I am doing yoga again.  I found a place close to home and plan to go a couple times a week and also have started doing it on my own at home.  I feel the yoga really helps me to relax and balance myself out.  I am always such a type a person.  Always on the go and can hardly take a moment to slow down and smell the roses.  Yoga puts me in a different mindset and allows me to take life in and slow down some.  I feel less stressed and happier.  Yoga gives me a new sense of energy.

I have also been working on crafts.  Sewing curtains for the house, making hemp bracelets and I have even started studying making my own DIY household cleaners and soaps, body scrubs and more.  Pretty cool stuff indeed.


Life is good.

New Interests, Hobbies and Ideas

So, more and more Travis and I have been looking into vegetable and herb gardening and making plans for a garden in our backyard.  We've also been talking about getting chickens and possibly even a goat.  The goal, to go to the grocery store less or at least not need a lot of produce.  I'd love to learn enough to really grow some good stuff and even build a greenhouse to help with the winter weather and such.  We've already started with one cold frame to help us through the winter and I'd like to do a few more of those.

My new interest/hobby is learning how to make hemp and beaded jewelry.  I went over to the craft store today and was just astonished at the amount of really cool beads and jewels and the endless amount of options available to start making jewelry.  I got a kit to start off with making HEMP jewelry.

I am also studying aromatherapy and how to make my own body lotions, balms, oils, and more.  I'd love to be able to make some really nifty and healthy stuff for my skin.

I feel like my world has been opened into a whole new array of interesting stuff and I just cannot wait to dive in and learn, learn, learn! 

I Want to Ride

Today has been a great Sunday.  I have been gathering information about green living.  I've been looking up cool finds on Etsy.com.  I've been organizing and cleaning the house.  Now, I am settling in for the evening and I am thinking about buying a bike.  I used to ride all the time and when I lived in the bay area and NOW I want to start riding to work daily.  I only work four miles from my home and it'd be awesome to ride to work.  I would save money on gas, stay in shape and help the planet at the same time!  So, now I am gonna save up and get a bike.  WOO HOO!

Saturday Excitement

Well, today has been a good day.  It started off with going into work and then meeting up with my husband at his car show in Rancho Vista where his band, Blue Collar Combo was playing.  I hung out there for a couple sets and then came home to get some chores done and relax.  I did more chores than I relaxed, but I got stuff done.  Then, went to my little sister's house for a bit to see the place and wish her a happy birthday!  Then, I swung by and saw some dear friends at their house for a shindig.  Now, I am just back home and I am happy about that.  I am feeling a little tired.  I enjoy being at home.  It is cozy and peaceful and i enjoy cuddling with my critters.  I am looking forward to this week.  I am moving my mom's furniture tomorrow and Monday, Tuesday and Thursday I am doing yoga.  Wednesday I am going to my final practice with Daddy O (for awhile at least) and then we're playing a party on October 29th.  Today, I went way over my calorie budget.  I ate enough chocolate tonight to feel guilty for the rest of the month.  Not to worry though.  I have found when I have a goal there may be times where I have set backs.  Today was a minor set-back and I will keep moving forward in my goals to live healthier and eat healthier.  Little by little it gets easier to stop eating things which are bad for me.  I am not a "fat" person, but I have some bulges I want to clear up.  Eating a bunch of candy is not going to help my rolls disappear.  I need to get back on track with my six mile walks and more consistent with the yoga and running.  Next year I want to run at least one half marathon.  I need to start working on training now.  I must always set future goals in order to keep moving forward.  I need to get my knee strength built up so I can run more pain free.  So much to do.... I will meet my goals.  I will live healthier and be happier too!  Oh, and Travis and I checked on the seeds he planted.  No sprouts yet, but we're hoping for some!!!  :D  Night Night.

Today was an awesome day!

Today was the day I started accomplishing my goals.  I wore my bodybugg and logged my food and ate healthy.  I attended a yoga class which helped me stretch out and gain balance and helped me re-energize.  I was not sure what to expect from the new yoga place, but I liked the fact that the class was small (only seven of us and the instructor).  We used a lot of props and blankets to aide in the positions.  It was a restorative class and I feel restored.  I hope to be able to make next Tuesday's class and get into the routine of every Tuesday and Thursday and then start training for the half marathon too.  Good things are coming my way!  I felt at ease in my class and walked out with a sense of accomplishment.  Had a great dinner of salmon and pumpkin cubes (Thanks Travis).  Sounds like a strange combo, but it was really good.  I also had a nice conversation with my hubby, Travis, about DIY cleaners for the house and also about our plans for the garden.  We hope to start growing our own fruits and veggies and rely less on going to the store for our fresh foods.  I only spent money on the yoga class today which is keeping me one step closer to paying off student loans and misc debt.  Someday, I will actually be really physically fit, eating my own produce, and have financial freedom from debt.  I am one day closer to my goals.  Now, I can rest.

Today's The Day

Today's the day.  

Yes, even though it is Thursday, I am making a shift to new and exciting things.  Ok, I take that back.  I'm not doing anything "new."  I am just going to start actually doing what I SHOULD have been doing for the last few years.  I need to eat right, exercise regularly, maintain more balance in my life and pay off some of my debts to allow for more financial freedom.  Soooo.... today's the day.  I am going to start wearing my bodybugg again.  I'm going to log my food religiously and am going to try out a new yoga studio tonight and it should be a good way to get started.  My ultimate goal is to start running again.  The last time I was serious about running was back in 2006.  I trained for two and a half months for the LA Marathon.  I hurt my knees in the process.  So now I need to get back on track.  I will start off slow and work my way up.  I am going to use this blog to help track my progress.  So, starting today: I will do yoga,  I will eat healthy and monitor my intake daily, I will attend yoga classes twice weekly and I will start training for a half marathon.

A Little About Me: The Good Things in Life

watching the sun set.  watching the sun rise.  taking a drive on a gorgeous afternoon.  music that moves you.  a good dinner.  BBQs.  laughing so hard your cheeks and sides hurt days later.  smiles.  hugs.  the sound of a lawnmower in the spring.  the smell of the air around christmas time.  5:00 friday.  a good book. tea tree oil. thunderstorms.  rain.  body surfing.  accomplishing a goal.  learning a new talent.  helping others.  exploring an old building.  finding a great deal.  a full tank of gas.  good surprises.  cat naps.  Starbuck's frappuccinos.  caffeine.  dancing to a good song.  seeing a great band live.  being understood.  sushi.  understanding someone else.  selfless acts.  random acts of kindness.  charity.  three inch heels for five minutes and having flats to change into after that.  thai food.  exploring a new place.  driving up the coast. gnocci.  camping.  vegas.  traveling.  a picture that captures a moment.  happy memories.  nostalgia.  fresh, clean sheets.  sugar.  donut holes with sprinkles.  scalp massages.  giggling.  silliness.  sunshine.  a star-filled sky.  the beach at night.  snow.  love.  loving. being loved.  

family. a comfortable bed.  candlelight. close friends. friends you don't talk to in years and then catch up with in five minutes when you finally do.  making up.  art.  receiving a card or letter in the mail.  dressing up.  dressing down.  bacon. a good night's sleep.  long weekends.  vacations.  a gig in front of a full house.  partying.  finding money in a pocket that you have not looked into in months. just before dawn. passion.  confidence. independance.  trust.  paying off a loan.  all-nighters.  having people you can count on.  having people who can count on you.  friends who know you well enough to understand you without having to explain yourself to them.  new perspectives.  opinions.  options.  living life to the fullest.  hot chocolate.  fast food at 3 am.  cheez-its.  creativity.  a non-windy day in the AV, music, fireplaces, neighbors, a movie that makes you laugh out loud when you're by yourself, running into an old friend you have not seen in years, fleece, cool retro finds, comfy jeans, being able to make others laugh, cotton candy, falling asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow after a great day, cozy warm socks, hot chocolate, hearing my mom's voice on the phone and knowing she is doing better, bubblegum, good health, used book stores, family owned restuarants, freedom of expression, courteous people, a shooting star, living life to the fullest, hershey's chocolate bars, red party cups, sharpies, old leather jackets with no inside liner, rhythm, a good beat, meat, foot massages, exploring unknown roads, camping by the river, hot springs, making new friends, meeting cool people, ebay, good times, cold water, dirt roads, ono.  the open road.  twilight.  days off work.  lightning.  rainstorms.  good cup of warm tea on a cold day.  a good joke.  being able to comfortably pay bills.  hearing a song that you have not heard in a long time and being taken back to the time from which you first heard it.  breaks from school.  strawberry/banana bubblegum.  wintergreen lifesavers.  hanging out with friends.  being healthy enough to walk out the front door each day and live life.  skydiving.  argentine tango.  swing dancing.  ten step.  making people smile.  making good memories.  remembering bad memories only to appreciate the good ones even more.  a song that makes you want to drive 500 mph.  a song that makes you smile.  being able to have a conversation with someone who knows you so well you hardly have to speak because they already know what you're going to say.  taking risks that turn out for the good.  knowing that every day that passes is another day to live.  smiley faces.  knowing that the treasures one has in life are not necessarily material possessions; they are the things one holds dear: family, friends, good times, good memories and love. Warm hats, scarves, gloves and general winter wear.  falling snow.  mint chocolate chip ice cream.  big stick popcycles from the gas station.  late night snacks.  songs that mean something.  double bubble.  silly times.  laughing so hard while driving you have to pull over.  hanging up when calling someone cause you are laughing too hard to talk.  breaks from school.  success at work.  getting through to someone.  smells that make you think of someone or some time or experience in life.  friendship.  houses decorated with christmas lights.  rain.  a good cup of tea before bed.  feeling alive.  comfy shoes.  creativity.  unexpected good times.  smiles.  sillies.  miscellaneous ramblings of goodness.  a place to call home.  sweet dreams.  edamame.  veggies and dip.  a good story.  a good joke.  hope.  faith.  love.  life.  experiences.  memories.  future.  dreams.  hopes.  desires.  achievements.  good news.  looking forward to the new year.  good lyrics.  being able to sing out frustrations.  a warm shower. getting hair washed at a salon.  finding a pair of pants that fit just perfectly.  cuddling.  cupcakes.  projects.  getting a's.  salt.  alfredo sauce.  tiramisu.  good cup of coffee.  unconditional love from pets.  the desert after the rain.  clouds.  holiday traditions.  christmas trees.  egg nog.  christmas kitten.  giggles.  old photographs.  earning respect.  giving gifts.  making people smile.  touching lives.  making a difference.  big, juicy hamburgers.  hot dogs with mustard and ketchup.  spinich and artichoke dip.  driving along the coast.  fun.  relaxation.  good-hearted people.  quick wit.  clever conversation.  silly sarcasm.  leopard print material.  acting crazy.  comfortable silence.  Pesto.  Hummus.  Long walks.  Peace.  Relaxation.  Life.