Three hour naps.

I just had a three hour nap and woke up GROUCHY.  How is that possible?  I’m exhausted actually and thank God I have a husband who understands the importance of my sleep during a challenge and threatened the children with death if they didn’t play quietly while I slept.  The children of course quickly nodded their heads in quiet contemplation and then proceeded to play at the top of their lungs outside of my door.  And I still slept through it all.   When I woke up I was hunched over and could barely walk to the bathroom to run a super hot epsom salt bath.  I am now human again and looking forward to a night on the couch with my beloved hubby and a couple of glasses of red wine.   Day 28, done.   It’s hard not to wish the challenge over but of course since the end of the challenge means I’ll be FORTY I’ve refrained from wishing for the end of it.  12 more days.  I think I’ll book a massage for the afternoon of the 30th…and a vat of red wine.

Oh and one of my favorite expat/overseas websites is this delightful woman at Luckybeans….we’ll she’s away for a few weeks and her husband has taken over her blog.  She is witty, charming, quick and a joy to read and the fact that her husband is all these things as well should not be a shock but take a gander over there, you will NOT be disappointed.  He’s renamed the blog Toughbeans for the time “mom” is away with the tag line “Dad’s in Charge, Suck it up”.  I’ve laughed out loud at everyone of his posts but today was too funny for words.

Over half way done.

Today in during my yoga practise I spent wind removing pose trying to count to 40.  I knew that I was on day 22 but for the life of me I couldn’t imagine that I had 18 days left.  I was trying to see what 18 and 12 (it being April 12th) added up to and it’s was the most difficult mathematical equation of all times.  Somedays you have the intensity, some days you don’t.

Remember last challenge when all I could think about, talk about or do was Bikram.  This one is soooo different.  maybe because there’s no ‘group’ or maybe because there isn’t the big unknown with this challenge but it just seems to keep moving along.  No drama, no freakout, just yoga.

And yes we are STILL waiting to find out about the overseas job.  I’m learning patience on the mat and in real life….I’m such a grown up.

And today I found the COOLEST thing ever!  It’s a site called The Secret is in the Sauce.  This is what they say…

Welcome to the Sitstahood! We are a group of bloggers dedicated to supporting one another by leaving comments. Lots and lots of comments.

If you want to find a bunch of fun blogs to read…and they list blogs that have contests too!  So cool. I’m going to figure it all out on Tuesday when these people get out of my house and go back to work and school!

40 day challenge…

I’m doing a 40 challenge. I finished day 12 today.  I have 28 days left but I’m actually doing 30 more days.  I started early by mistake because apparently I’m stupid and don’t know my own birthdate.  Oh well, I’m loving it.  Bikram yoga means that I’m strong, it’s means that I’m flexible, it means that although I’m turning 40 this month I can still do things that would make most young 18 year old girls cry.  I can do triangle  pose and NOT rest my arm on my knee anymore.  I can go back in camel and come out without crying.

Does this make me feel better?  Kind of….I just can’t believe I haven’t blogged about it until now.  Weird.  The last challenge was all about freakin’ out and the unknown.  This challenge is so different.  It’s much more personal.  I haven’t even had a “bad” day.  In fact the rough days I’ve enjoyed just as much as the “power” days.

I’m so glad I found yoga.  I love it.  Not as much as red wine or knitting but it’s a close third.

I’m done but I’ve just started.

I did it! I completed my first 30 day challenge of Bikram yoga. I ended much stronger than I thought I would and the last 3 days where the best days of my practice so far. I measured myself on the first day of the challenge and over the course of the month I lost 9 3/4 inches! Today I went and got myself a new yoga outfit as a treat for completing and started a “wish list” at my local yoga store so I can sent Scott there for Christmas shopping. Oooo I just realized that LYS is local yarn or yoga store. I was feeling so good about buying a smaller size in shorts AND tops that I stopped on the way home to try on pants and my favorite store. I’m a size 10. Not just in one pair of fluke pants but in every style I tried on at the store. I’m a size 10. I haven’t worn a size 10 since before I was pregnant with Emmett…in 1990. I’m not saying if I went to the Gap I’d wear their size 10 but I am without a doubt a Ricki’s size 10. The 40th birthday goal is within reach people!!!!

I took today off but I’m chomping at the bit to get back to practice tomorrow.

Day 11.

It seems to me that a 30 day challenge is more a mental challenge than anything else.  Can I find the time EVERYDAY to go and 90 minutes of yoga?  The first few days of the challenge I was so worried about IF I had some non existant appointment and needed to go at a different time.  Turns out I can always make time for me. Yesterday I had a work “emergency” and could NOT get to the morning class.  Well amazingly enough I was able to make the evening class.  No drama.  No stress. I just went at another time of day.  The down side was I didn’t quite know how to eat to properly make it to a 7:30 class and had to leave the class part way through to um….use the facilities.  The upside, Scott came with me and enjoyed the class so much he’s planning on going again tonight.

Oh and today in the change room one of my fellow challengers commented on how fantastic I look.  I would have hugged her but I was naked from the waist down and figured that might be a little awkward….

“I’m going to be FORTY” “When?” “SOMEDAY!!!”

So remember awhile ago when I said I wanted to make a change in my life?  Remember the ridiculous list that I wanted to work through before my 40th birthday?.  Remember that I’m an idiot?  I have actually started my list.  No not the fun stuff like drink more wine or recycling.

I have started Yoga.

Daily.

I have started Bikram Yoga Daily.

Daily Bikram Yoga in 104 degree heat.

For those of you who have done bikram or hot yoga in the past I’ll give you a minute to stop laughing and take a pee.  For those of you who haven’t, let me set the stage for those of you.

I walk into the studio and everyone is happy. This should have been a sign, I should have immediately left and ate something fattening.  To be fair, I did spend most of the morning trying to convince myself NOT to go.  I forgot my phone.  I was late to drop of Elijah. I had orange nail polish on my toes that was peeling. My underarms could use a wax.  Believe me the list was endless.  But since I had told a friend and she had excitedly decided to meet me there I was shit out of luck.   The previously mentioned friend is a Yogi…you know the type, stunningly gorgeous, sweet disposition and so fucking flexible that she can do poses that only RUBBERMAN should be able to do.  I hate her.  If she wasn’t such an amazing person (and I’m not just saying that, she doesn’t even read my blog) I would have to run her over with my car.   So back to the torture chamber.  I got there and the wonderful instructor informed us that the humidifier was not hooked up until 5 that night so it would be hot but not ‘juicy’ (her word not mine).  I got into my little yoga shorts and a tank top (there is no room for vanity i learnt that lesson the first time I went to a different studio and wore capri length pants) and entered the pits of hell with antibacterial floors. All I wanted from my practise that day was to do all the poses. That’s it. I just wanted to try every pose.  I didn’t want to sit down or take a minute to contimplate my death, just do all 26 poses and 2 breathing exercises.   That’s really all I could ask of my pathetically non-flexible body.  Okay, what I really wanted was to make it through the class without running out crying and driving to the closest Timmies to drown my sorrows in a double double and a glazed donut.    Well friends, I did it.  I completed my first Bikram class.  I attempted every pose.  I stayed in the room until the end.  I didn’t faint or puke.  But most importantly, I went back the next day.  And I can’t wait to go tomorrow.  And I’m wondering if I can fit in a class over the weekend. I think I may be addicted.