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.

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….

Sushi night in Canada.

So “N” desperately wanted to make sushi.  Since there is no family thing this weekend for Thanksgiving I figured what the hell.  We made vegetable sushi and salmon maki.  We also made Orange Chicken teriyaki with homemade teriyaki sauce and vegetable tempura from scratch.  It was AWESOME.  I think I’ll make the kids sushi for their lunches (just without the raw fish).  What a great supper.  Here’s us making the rolls. Elijah “helped” by coming over and eating the rolls as we made them.

Tomorrow night I’m making Cornish Game Hens instead of a turkey with wild rice stuffing and mashed potatoes.  I love cooking.  I need to win the lottery so I can really go whole hog.

“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.

Winning IS everything.

Yippee! I just went and picked up my prize at The Bounce radio station! I am now the proud owner of Jamie Oliver’s new book Cook with Jamie.  He’s hot and he was one of my old pretend boyfriends, I think I’ll put him back on the ‘active’ list.

And an 8 inch saute pan that is EXTREMELY heavy.  I love it!

I love winning things.

I still have uber hurting knee from volleyball but I played last night and we WON! I was like a giselle out there….well a giselle that has a bum knee.

Sunday is Emmett’s birthday.  Sunday is the Western final with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.  Emmett’s birthday happens every year.  The Roughriders in the playoffs is such a rarity that I’m sure he has no problem with his mother being WAY more excited about the game than his stupid birthday which just shows people how old I am.  This is the world.  This is me.  This is the world revolving around me….. don’t worry, he’s used to it.

WTF!?!?!?

Kevin Kline is 60!!!!! How the hell is that possible. So this morning I’m reading my “dailies” and stumble across this little tidbit. I’m not quite sure how this is possible…..plus his wife is like is like 44 and looks like mid-20’s tops! Damn you Phoebe Cates!!!

Any whoo…..Christmas knitting is coming along, I’m just around the corner from being done the bulk of it….and when I say bulk of it I mean maybe one quarter of what I really want to get done but I’m being optomistic. GLASS HALF FULL! GLASS HALF FULL! GLASS HALF FULL!

Friday is the big game between Saskatchewan and Edmonton. We will be in the stands cheering on the kings of the gridiron. Since Dee won a package to the game there are FREE DRINKS and food. So since I am usually the picture of good judgement I’m sure that’s a combination that will go completely smoothly. *searches madly for an team coloured barf bag* I will be taking my Sask Roughriders coloured yarn to knit up my team socks but the amount knitted will be determined by the amount drank and the amount drank will be determined by the points scored.

Oh and I won another contest. I’m a finalist for the big prize but the part I’ve already won is a jamie oliver frying pan and his newest book. here’s the frying pan, I think I get to pick it up next week or something.

The big prize would be the whole 11 piece set, a trip to Toronto and meeting JAMIE OLIVER!!!! I find out Friday….not that I’m excited or anything. I kind of love him.

Okay I’ve been off the radar for awhile, I have to go catch up with my knitblogs and gossip. On the upside I’ve been playing raquetball and volleyball (not that I’ve lost a pound but I’ve made a sufficient fool of myself to “feel” lighter than ever)

Chin hairs and dimple butt.

This morning I was awaken by the sweet voice of my three year old saying “happy birthday cake Mommy”.  It was like music to my ears.  I had a glorious sleep last night and do not remember a thing after my head hit the pillow until 7:16 this morning.  What a great way to start the day. 

That being said, it’s come to my attention that I am closer to 50 than I am to 20.  How the hell did THAT happen?  I still FEEL 20 (except when I stand up and my knees ‘pop’) .  I still look 20 (except the dimples on my ass are bigger than at 20).  I still act 20 (except the inappropiate marriage and drinking until I vomit part).  But I’m not.  I’m 730 days away from being 40….not that I’ve thought about it or anything.  

So as I sat in front of the mirror this morning plucking chin hairs, I started to contemplate my life.  Now I realize that I could get hit by a bus today and that in fact “half my life” may have been at 19 in the middle of Confetti Le Club, drinking on dollar tequila nights and shaking my ass to Push It and Funky Cold Medina on top of a speaker but I’d like to think than I’m approaching the second half of my life sometime in the next 10 years.  So what has changed….it’s simple. 

I like my hair.  

For the first half of my life I struggle with my hair, I had an afro, I had “Tootie from Fact of Life” hair, I had straightened hair, I had braids, I spent thousands and thousands of dollars changing my hair….and I always hated it.  I was a young black girl in Saskatchewan with little to no opportunity to have the newest styles for black hair, and I hated it.  I never went swimming, couldn’t, it would mean my hair would get wet…..I hated camping cause when you pay to get your hair straightened and set you don’t want to risk something happening to it….hair was drama.  Then 5 years ago I decided I was done.  I decided that my natural hair was me and if others didn’t like it, tough shit. I cut it off and twisted it.  As as the twists grew they ‘loc’d up’.  As as the loc’s grew so did my love of my hair.  I now have glorious long locs of hair down to the middle of my back.  I go swimming without even thinking about it.  I go out in the rain for a walk with the kids and don’t think about it.  I  just plain don’t think about it.  It’s my hair, and it’s a part of me and I love it.  5 Years ago I decided that I loved myself and that has been the best part of the second half of my life.

Now if only I could get rid of my chin hairs.

The size of my assets…

Okay, lets be nice.  If I’m looking at my butt right now I’d have to say that it is a little on the alarming side.  Not in a cute JLo kind of way where the rest of my body is fantastic and then BAM look at that junk in her trunk!  But in a ‘holy sizematology batman’ kind of way.  I’m trying to decide what is the best way to alleviate my body of these extra pounds…since just thinking about it doesn’t seem to be doing a damn thing.  As you know I have I have the worst case of Reverse Anorexia known to man, in fact today I was walking from the Y and thinking ‘damn my legs look good’…the fact that I had to stretch my neck to see past my stomach in order to assess my legs was competely out of my mind at the time. So with my 38th birthday looming and my desire to be the hottest 40 year old self I can be I’m recommitting myself to getting in shape.  Now a few of my friends have had great success with cutting sugar from their lives….sound interesting.  I know there are many people who subscribe to the Jenny Craig school of weight loss….and I’m sure I could go the old weight watchers way as well.  I just don’t know what to do!  I know I like to exercise so whatever program I go with I’d like to incorporate exercise into that as well….I’d also like to just keep doing what I’m doing and have 30 pounds fall off my body magically before my 40th birthday…

So I’ve decided that I’m going to start whatever journey i’m starting on Monday April 30th….and I’m going to post about my progess and failures HERE so that I have to write about it…in the hopes that it’ll keep me accountable.  I’m even starting a new category….I’m all over the start something new thing!

Feel free to comment on my lack or committment as much as you want if you see me falling behind but you also have to comment on my lack of ass as it starts fading away. 

Luckily for all of you, I”ve decided AGAINST posting a full body bikini shot as motivation.