I have just started taking yoga classes once a week.  I have periodically done yoga over the years, but nothing in the last 5 years.  I have always liked it, but I find that now that I am running, it feels great!  It is just so good to stretch out all the muscles that seem to be so tight from all of this running.  I feel very invigorated after each class (I have been to two so far).  The specific yoga I am taking is Hatha Yoga.  In the past I have done Ashtanga, Hatha and yoga for pregnant women.  The poses are great because you really can do them at any level.  I am usually struggling to hold the simplest form of each pose, while the people on either side of me twist their bodies into perfect pretzel-like forms.  I laugh a lot in class which is also quite therapeutic.  I even find the last few minutes of relaxation/meditation lovely, and I used to hate that part.  Now I find it nice and peaceful to just lie there letting my body relax and recover from all the work it has just done.  I don’t have a favourite pose yet, but I am sure I will soon…I even like the sun salutations which everyone else in the class groans about.  Last night, we did most of the class from our mat with pillows – comfortable exercising – I love it!

• the swiftness with which I met my husband, who also happens to be the nicest man on earth, and one true love of my life.
• the joy and gift that each of my two children are to me.  The smile they each bring to my face daily, and the warmth they bring into my life.
• the support system of wonderful friends and family I have been blessed enough to collect over the years.  Without them, life would be harder.
• even the dog makes it onto this list, as his unconditional love and joy lift my spirits when they need it most.
• the many other things that make my life a little better each day, my favourite authors, movies, tv shows, for entertaining me and allowing me to escape a little when everything else seeks to overwhelm.
• and of course to my readers out there, wherever you are, thank you for reading.

I am sure I have written it before but I have always believed in love at first sight, one true love for everyone and everlasting love.  I was so blessed and lucky to meet my true love 15 summers ago, on an OC Transpo bus of all places, and have that immediate connection that changed my world in an instant. 

Today is our eleventh wedding anniversary…I don’t regret an instant baby, never have, never will.  Not an instant.  You are my one true love, and thank goodness for divine intervention   Love you forever.

I cannot believe my beautiful little girl has turned 10 years old today.  I can still really vividly remember the day she was born.  Or should I say evening.  After way too many hours of labour to write down here, she was put in my arms, and I immediately fell so in love.  I spent a few hours just trying to understand how she got there…

I always knew that I wanted to be a Mom, but I still never imagined being a mother could be so amazing.  My girl brings me so much joy every single day.  I love her creativity, and spirit, generosity, humour and heart.  She is fiery, intelligent and strong.  She is SUCH a cool kid. 

I am so privileged to have a front seat to watch her grow and develop into the young lady she is becoming.  I cannot wait to see what the next 10 years bring.  Happy Birthday to the joy of my life!

Spring has come a little late to our house (I blame it on the crappy summer weather – makes me think it is still Spring with all this rain).  I am suddenly (today) on a major cleaning binge.  I have finally cleaned out our front hall closet.  It has been a few years since I have been saying I really need to clean out our front hall closet…finally it is done!  I am embarrassed at some of the things I found in there…things we have been looking for.  Oh well! 

The other thing I cleaned out today were all the old textbooks from our bookshelves.  We had a ton of them.  I am not sure what to do with them now…I am trying to find somewhere to donate them…so if anyone knows of anywhere that takes old textbooks, please post in the comments section.  Now, on to my next cleaning task!

My wonderful boy turns 8 today.  It is so hard to believe that my baby is 8 whole years old.  I can’ t believe it has been so long since I held him as a tiny little newborn.  He captured my heart from the very first instant, and is to this day my captor.  His sweetness and sensitivity are unparalleled.  His brilliance is inspiring.  He is completely his own person, absolutely marching to his own drum and following his true path.  Sometimes this leads to stalemates, but in the big picture, it is pretty cool.  I am so proud of my sweet boy!  I love you and Happy Birthday!!

Wow and here we are at my 200th post!  I would have hit this one a lot sooner if I hadn’t been such a lousy blogger for the last couple of months.  Well, in the tradition of my 100th post here are 10 more things you may not know about me:

1- I like doing dishes more than any other chore around the house.  It is very satisfying!  You invest a bit of time and you have clean dishes.  Unlike other tasks like dusting where it never seems to look like you did anything.  And funnily enough I HATE drying them.

2 – I hate white chocolate.  I just don’t understand it – so yucky!

3 – While I am at it, I also hate coconut.  I cannot think of a worst texture to put in my mouth.  Coconut macaroons are the absolute yuckiest dessert on earth.

4 – I really want to like sushi.  So much so, that my husband and I have gone out to eat it several times.  I really think I should like it!  I love fish and seafood.  Yet I cannot stomach it.  I do intend to keep trying though.  He doesn’t like it either.

5 – I am an obsessive planner.  I am planning all the time.  I have a spreadsheet for the summer, laying out where we will be and what we will be doing each day.  My husband sometimes asks me to just please turn my brain off for a bit.

6 – I love chocolate malt balls.  I have ever since I was a kid.  When Starbucks had the chocolate malt frappuccino I drank one almost every day.  It was the best drink they EVER had on their menu.  I was so saddened when they got rid of it.  Although, my waistline thanks them.

7 – I did an adult jazz class once.  It was really fun but I was really awful.  I have never since screwed up the courage to try it again.

8 – I don’t do basements.  I have been afraid of going into the basement ever since I was a little kid.  I still hate it.  Our home office is in the basement and this could explain the lack of postings over the last couple of months.  I really need a laptop

9 – I write out to-do lists pretty much every day, and sometimes I add things on to the list just so that I can cross them off.  Like today, after I finished my run, I wrote it on the list and crossed it off.  It makes me feel better

10 – In my head, I look just like Grace Kelly.  When I shop for clothes I always love the stuff that would look perfect on Grace Kelly.  In reality I am nowhere near her body type or style…so the changing room is sometimes quite hysterical.  I am not saying I am not happy with how I look, because I am quite comfortable and confident.  It is just still constantly a surprise to me that I am not 5′9 and blond and willowy.

I am in between jobs right now and it really is the weirdest thing.  A month ago I was the victim of workforce management measures as my former company called it.  I love the names they come up with!  I know so many people right now in the same position as I am. 

It has been really hard in some ways.  Such a blow to the ego!  and terrifying!  What if nobody else wants me?  I know I am good at what I do but in this economy times are just plain tough. 

The weird part is how much fun I am managing to have while I am off.  Yesterday I sat outside on my deck and just enjoyed the sun and a good book with my dog.  I am walking the dog a lot, enjoying the beautiful weather, going to see daytime movies, reading as much as I want.  It is sooo nice not working and having lots of time to get everything done.

So basically I am conflicted…terrified yet enjoying myself immensely.