Monthly Archives: August 2010

Finally…

Posted on by
Reply

Life is looking SO good! _uacct = “UA-4888259-1″;urchinTracker();

Things are falling into place.
I feel like I have hit on the right timing for what I want to do and need to do.
It’s seems as though I’ve discovered an equilibrium that has alluded me until now.
I am surrounded by people I love and respect, building relationships with mentors and enjoying the journey.
Peace, at last.  Busy, but satisfying.
Happy.  Content :)

Our new normal

Posted on by
Reply

Life has been … chaotic.  Yes, I think that chaotic describes in nicely :) _uacct = “UA-4888259-1″;urchinTracker();

Change is good.  In our case, change was also welcome and necessary.  Unfortunately, it has also been stressful, simply from a change point of view.  Don’t worry – all the stress has been good, it’s just that stress leads me down a tired road and I haven’t had much time to rest!  It’s been exhilarating and fun, but there has been one thing weighing me down:
Twin toddlers.
We all know that toddlers thrive on routine and predictability.  Suffice to say, I have completely thrown their routine out of whack and they are letting me know loud and clear that they are unhappy.  Witness: anyone who was at IntelliDance Tots class this morning…
So, my nerves are shot.  I am so irritable and short with them, and I feel bad, but at the same time I wish they just understood that I am trying my best and can they please just go and play nicely and not fight over every bloody dried cranberry in the bowl and share the Barbies or I’ll take them away for the love of mud???

Of course not.  They are 2-and-a-half.  Sigh…
But here is some good that has come out of our “new normal”:
  • I took an incredible course from Fusion Fitness Training this past weekend
  • I found out that I only need to submit my CE credits, take a CPR course and pay a late fee to reinstate my AFLCA certification – no exam necessary!!
  • My H.A.W.T. Momma program is half-full!!  Wouldn’t it be cool if we needed to add another class??
  • Leith has been getting lots of overtime and truck mileage lately, which has added to my stress but made my bank account very happy :)
  • I finally submitted my lululemon R&D team application so that I can enjoy 15% off!
  • I found awesome Danskin runners for $9 at Wal-Mart
  • I finally had my eyes checked again, and yes my prescription has changed.  I ordered new glasses, so hopefully we can say bye-bye to headaches!
  • I also ordered almost $200 worth of promotional material for H.A.W.T. Momma from Vistaprint, but only paid $50!  Love them :)
  • My body is feeling great from all this dance, and despite feeling stressed by my kids, I am feeling fantastic, positive and happy 
  • The bugz are potty- trained at home and at the sitters.  I’m still using diapers when we are out and about and at night
So despite the stress of life changing for the better, things are really great right now!  Once the bugz have settled into this new routine, I think things should be peachy keen for the first time in a long time :)

Sometimes

Posted on by
Reply

…you’re just so lucky to marry an incredible man, who in turn becomes an incredible father. _uacct = “UA-4888259-1″;urchinTracker();

Never in a million years did I expect Leith to be the father he is to our bugz.  I expected him to be decent, to care, to love us, but I never expected the fierce way he loves his girls.  The way he puts their needs above all else.  The way he has had his hands dirty since I was passed out, drugged up on heavy, post-surgery narcotics.  They way he makes them giggle and squeal, the way he plans our landscaping around what kind of playground he wants to build for them.  The hours he spends building quad trails through our forest, building them a “fairy trail”.
When I read a story like this one, I can picture Leith in that elevator.  I always thought he would be more inclined to want a son, but he is a better father to daughters than almost any man I’ve ever known.
He watches Tinkerbell and Princess and the Frog and potty-trains.  He wakes them up early before he leaves and lets them stay up late to play with him.  He bought them skinny jeans and sweet sock-shoes.  He even puts their hair in ponytails and can wield a bobby pin like no one’s business.
He is the best dad to my daughters.

For today…

Posted on by
Reply

Outside my window … it is grey and cloudy on this Thursday morning.  We’ve had so much rain, but when it’s been hot, it’s been very hot!  It’s also been really humid and hazy the last few days, so I am happy for the cool morning :)

I am thankful for … a day spent with some of the most important people in my life, and a lot of interest in H.A.W.T. Momma!
I am creating … a new schedule for our lifestyle.  I am taking the bugz to dance classes each morning so that they learn how to act when Momma is teaching, in case I need to bring them along to class at anytime in the future.
I am celebrating … the glorious feeling of moving my body to music, and how good it feels to fall into bed at night feeling satisfied.  I am also celebrating increasingly accident-free days in the Land of Potty Training!
From the kitchen … nothing but coffee and toast this morning, but on Tuesday I made a tasty stew/soup/mash-up of tuna, diced tomatoes and corn with roasted baby potatoes on the side!  The mash-up mixed wonderfully with eggs the next morning for breakfast – yum.
I am wearing … my jammies and striped slipper socks.  I love my slipper socks.  I hope Old Navy carries them again this winter.
I am reading … Gargoyle, still.  I like it more the further I get into it.  I love the subtle character development and the beautiful stories within the story.
I am hoping … that Leith remembers to submit all his expense sheets this week, and that Kit-kat “loses” the baby-sucky she found last week.
I am hearing … the radio and the bugz pretending to talk to Leith on their toy phone: “Hello, Dad.  What you doing?  Yove you!  Yove you!”
Around the house … a garden to tend to at some point (the mosquitos have been ridiculous!) and a leak to find and fix so we can use our ensuite again!  Pray that it’s not behind the drywall!!
One of my favourite things … the synergy that a group of like-minded people creates, and all the good things that come from that!
A few plans for the rest of the week:  Salsa Babies class today, Salsa Tots tomorrow, some time at the office tonight, and a yoga-fusion certification course this weekend!
Here is a picture-thought I am sharing with you:
This is one of my favourite pictures from this summer :)

_uacct = “UA-4888259-1″;urchinTracker();

Love: an announcement

Posted on by
6

So what’s been going on over here, with all this “HAWT Momma” this and “dance classes” that? _uacct = “UA-4888259-1″;urchinTracker();

Well, it’s no surprise that my life has taken an unexpected turn in the past few weeks.  I went back to dance class about 3 weeks ago and my body and soul sang with joy.  But the real surprise was when Jess asked if I would like to teach classes and offer personal training at her studio!!
A little history first:  waaaaay back in 2006, I was inspired to becoming a pre- and postnatal exercise specialist when Jess had her first daughter.  Timing is everything in life, and I wasn’t able to focus on it professionally while I finished my diploma at NAIT.  I was quickly pregnant after graduation, and then life kind of went crazy, to put it mildly.  I gave up dancing and personal training completely because I was not in a supportive environment at the gym I worked with and lacked the network to market my services elsewhere.  Fast forward to today…

So here I am, 3 short weeks later, taking as many dance classes as possible (2-4 a day!!) so that I am trained to teach and sub as many classes at J’Adore Dance as possible!  We’ve put together a small group training program called “H.A.W.T. Momma”, health and wellness training for new moms, modelled after the original program I designed while at NAIT.  I’m teaching the Creative Jazz program for 3-8 year olds, and teaching Salsa Tots and Salsa Burn at the Edmonton Garrison.  There should be more on the way!
My body, mind, family and spirit are all in harmony after many months of struggle.  I’m sure you are wondering what happened to all the goals I’d set out in my financial profession.  Quite frankly, it hasn’t been working well with our family dynamic and the commitments I need to keep for myself and my family.  As a result, I haven’t been able to work as much as I need to, and therefore haven’t been making the money that we need me to.  It became very, very clear that we needed to take immediate action or we would be in a lot of financial distress very soon.  
When the opportunity arose to solve my immediate financial concerns AND realize a long-lost dream of mine, I had to jump at it.  Am I giving up my financial position?  Absolutely not!  I’m lucky to work for a company that allows me to continue on a very part-time basis.  I will continue to service the clients I already have and take the occasional client that comes my way.  But right now?  Right now, I am throwing my energy into dance and personal training once again.  Why?
  • It makes my heart sing.  Dance is who I have been for most of my life.  It’s what I know and what I love.  To try to live without it was a silly decision, and I suffered because of it.
  • I am in a supportive, encouraging environment with a focus on mutual success and celebration.  We all grow in that situation!
  • I get to share my love with people who thought they could never “be” a dancer – dance is cultural, and that is something that has been lost in Western culture.  To be a part of bringing it back to everyday life is amazing!
  • It is good for my body.  For 18 months, I have struggled to find a balance that allows my movement-craving body to actually move!  This is what we call balance ;)
  • It allows me to bring my bugz to work when I need to, and to immerse them in the environment that I want them to grow up in – positive self-image, love of movement, creativity!  Plus, it really cuts down on childcare costs ;)
  • It’s a steady, dependable paycheque when we really need it.  What can I say?  I was falling behind, spending money on things like childcare and gas but not making enough to cover that, let alone pay the bills that our second income requires.  I don’t mean to be blunt or negative, but it caused a lot of stress for our family, which took the focus off building my business, which resulted in a vicious cycle of stress and anxiety.  Not fun :(
  • Why not??


Ultimately, this makes me happy.  It allows me to find an equilibrium in all the areas of my life: family, finance, fitness, fun, health, happiness, goals, dreams and more.
For more information on the classes I’ll be teaching:
I hope you will all enjoy this journey along with me :)  I want to carry this far and wide, to bring it close to home in Parkland County and to help many more people discover the joy of movement and music!!
PS – a quick little bloggie shout-out to Dawn: her adventure in learning to let loose and bust a move is what ultimately inspired me to get my booty back in the studio.  I realized that we all have something within us, and to deny that passion is to live an unfulfilled life.  Follow along with her journey on her blog, Through the Looking Glass.

Versatile Blogger

Posted on by
1

A few weeks ago, Hethr gave me a Versatile Blogger award.  Here goes! _uacct = “UA-4888259-1″;urchinTracker();

In order to receive the award, I must:
1. Thank the person who gave me the award: Thank you Hethr, for hours of entertainment and gallons of wine milk snorted out my nose in laughter :~)
2. Share 7 things about myself.
3. Nominate 15 newly discovered blogs, and let them know that they’ve been nominated.
So, in case I haven’t completely poured my soul out on this blog, here are 7 things you may not know about me:

1.  I have been trained on the piano, saxophone and flute.  Band geek alert!!  And you know what??  It was some of the best years of my life :)  Thank you Kim, Miss Brennan!


2.  I suffered from post-partum depression and anxiety but I was too stubborn and proud to admit it.  It cost me a lot, including a very close friendship and nearly my marriage.  Fortunately, I’ve smartened up and learned to take care of myself.


3.  Here is a sneak peek of a little project I am developing for this fall:



I won’t lie – I am very excited about realizing a long-time goal of mine!  (I kind of want to make Miss Sheryl proud after all these years too)

4.  Sometimes when I’m feeling petty about all the laundry I have, I will fold one of Leith’s newer white socks with one that’s getting old and ratty.  I have no idea if he notices, and it’s nothing against him personally, but it kind of makes me feel better…

5.  Despite my sunny blog, I have a really short temper, a trucker’s mouth and am easily irritated.  Unfortunately, my kids are usually at the receiving end of my rants … poor monkeys.  The good thing is that I’ve gotten a lot better than I used to be!  But please don’t be offended when one of my 2-year olds drops something and mutters, “Oh S#!t” :)

6.  I live for simplicity.  I get easily overwhelmed by life, so the simpler the better.  I would never want a huge house for that reason.  Cozy and intimate is much better for me, which I think is why I love our little acreage home and my minivan!

7.  For being such a health-minded person, I’ve really let my fitness go.  I actually weigh what I did 3 weeks postpartum right now.  Yuck.  That is one of the reasons I am so excited to be teaching dance again – force-fed fitness for me!!  Yay!!

Now for the tagging.  I don’t have 15 personal blogs that I can think of to name, so I’ll go as far as I can and hope that other people nominate themselves!

Dawn
Crystal
Jessica
Gabby
Ariana (come on! don’t give up on your blog!!)
Vanessa
Melinda
Michelle

So busy! (Pt 2)

Posted on by
Reply

Bright and early, up again – ready to have another great day!  We got SO much accomplished out here in the middle of nowhere yesterday :)  The walls are finally painted, I had a great meeting with Reanna about teaching classes in St Albert, and I topped everything off with an awesome Salsa Burn class with Kasha!  The bugz have been incredibly well-behaved (finally!!!!) and I hope the trend continues today. _uacct = “UA-4888259-1″;urchinTracker();

I spent the entire night last night with a sweaty toddler curled up on top of me.  I rolled into bed at about 11pm, and she woke up crying.  She wanted to snuggle with me (and not Leith), and insisted that she lay ON me.  Let me talk about how the house was already so hot and sticky without a half-naked child laying on me who insisted that the blankets be pulled up.  I will never understand the midnight workings of a child’s brain…  Leith lasted 15 minutes before he went downstairs to sleep ;)
Today, oh today.  It’s not quite 11am, and already I’ve completely cleaned out my guest room.  Julia won’t recognize it tomorrow!!  I’m plugging away through 7 loads of laundry, although I have yet to put away the last three from last week … or unpack my suitcase from Vegas and Calgary either.  Oh joy!  Only 3 hours left to get that all done – yikes!!

So busy!

Posted on by
1

Well, well, well!  It’s been a busy week, judging by my lack of posts! _uacct = “UA-4888259-1″;urchinTracker();

I am taking a coffee break at the moment.  I actually procured some drywall primer and actually primed and painted the first coats on my pony wall and front entrance this morning!  If you’re counting: the entrance was constructed in September 2009, and the pony wall was built in March.  One more coat later this afternoon and we are DONE, baby :)
(Okay, that’s a lie – I don’t actually have enough paint leftover to do 2 full coats on both sides of the pony wall, so I am only painting the outside that people see.  The inside wall going down the stairs will just have to wait another year…)

What else have I been up to?  Madly editing beautiful maternity photos for a sweet couple who are due to pop any day now!  Even better, that shoot has drummed up a couple more for this fall – yay!  I’ll have some sneak peeks up sometime in the middle of the night tonight ;)
I’ve also been working together with Jessica and J’Adore Dance.  We are putting together a mom & baby group training class for this fall!  That was a plan we had waaaaay back when, so it is so exciting to see it finally coming to fruition :)  Stay tuned for more information on HAWT Momma!!
I will also be teaching their Creative Jazz classes on Monday afternoons for 3-8 year olds.  I am just itching to get into the studio, as I love this age group!  I also feel like I can really stand behind the syllabus that Jessica has developed – focusing more on age-appropriate mental and physical development and FUN, rather than just technique, choreography and exams.  I can’t wait to get my hands dirty with the little monkeys!!  I may also be teaching a few different classes in St Albert/North Edmonton as well, so I’ll keep you posted!  I’m meeting with Reanna today….
My bio is up on the website now too – check it out!
So many changes in such a short amount of time!  Not only have I been painting and planning, but I am also hosting a BBQ on Friday for our teams at the office.  Who knew it took so much planning?  Add that to the fact that this is the first week I’ve really been home, and you have a house that looks like a couple toddlers threw up on it!
My to-do list is slowly shrinking, but I keep remembering extra things to add to it.  Unfortunately, my allotted blog-time for the day is up, so I have to actually go and DO all those things still on it.
I’m looking forward to my Salsa Burn class tonight though – more fun to come :)

The missing piece

Posted on by
3
Even before he could commmunicate through words, 
primative man was dancing to the beat of his own heart.


-Robert La Fosse

_uacct = “UA-4888259-1″;urchinTracker();

This is what we call an ironically appropriate quote today.  My heart is beating strong, filled with love, satisfied to the brim after an incredible and invigorating Salsa Burn class last night at J’Adore Dance.
My body?  I cha-cha’d through my dreams last night, coupled with insane bursts of flashbacks from my kinetic anatomy course 5 years ago.  All of a sudden, I can remember the name, origin, insertion and action of every bloody muscle in my entire body.
I can speak, but I can barely life my arms to strike the keys for this blog today.
IT FEELS GREAT!!!
A little background: 3 years ago, I was one of the original instructors when J’Adore Dance expanded.  I taught Salsa Babies through my entire pregnancy, and I loved and embraced the environment we were fostering.  Then (in the most sugar-coated, underestimated way), life happened.  It took me away from not only J’Adore Dance and Jessica, but from all dance in general.  I lost the spark and passion that comes from moving my body to the beat of any drum.
Fast-forward to Tuesday.  I realized that that spark had never fully burnt out and that instead, it was suffocating.  So I blogged.  And Jess told me to come to class.  So I did.  And it was incredible.  I shook and shimmied my way through Kasha’s Salsa Burn, wondering how I’d ever done even a quarter of this much activity when I was pregnant, let alone perfectly NOT pregnant.  More importantly though, I wondered how I’d gone this long without it.
Let me explain something about the atmosphere and energy at J’Adore Dance.  Unlike a traditional dance class, participants are encouraged to move regardless of perfection or training.  We are encouraged to shake free the hotties that lay inside us, cloaked in years of self-criticism.  Unlike a traditional group exercise class where everyone guards their space like a protective mama bear, the class talks to each other before, after and during – laughing, encouraging, praising each others accomplishments.  I taught Salsa Babies where the women all had something in common.  At Salsa Burn, there isn’t that connection of post-partum community, but the connection is just as strong.  It was invigorating and uplifting after so many years in the traditional, cut-throat world of professional dance and fitness.
Now don’t get me wrong: I am currently compiling a mental list of curses to email Kasha this morning.  How does a shy, quiet girl with no dance training become the energetic ball of enthusiasm ROCKING IT at the front of the class like she was born to do this??  It’s a true testament to the people and personalities that J’Adore Dance builds and fosters in their environment of love.  My heart grew three sizes watching Kasha teach last night – I felt like a proud teacher, watching a student surpass her.  She is incredible, despite the fact that she is the sole reason I cannot walk today.
So thank you to the ladies of J’Adore Dance for helping me out of my funk, and for helping me to reconnect with the one thing that has always fed my soul.  Thank you for reminding me of passion, purpose and direction.
When I dance I cannot judge, I cannot hate, I cannot separate myself from life. 
I can only be joyful and whole. That is why I dance!
~Jessica Baudin-Griffin
PS – I’ve noticed that Dawn has already posted her dance blog from last night … I’m scared to read it ha ha.  I could feel the daggers in my back through the whole class ;~)  Check it out though – she is truly an inspiration and a perfect example of how J’Adore Dance embraces, encourages and grows anyone into a dancer.

For Today

Posted on by
Reply

Outside my window … the grey stillness of the morning.  It rained last night, and after a parching week in Vegas, I am head-over-heels in love with the quiet cool. _uacct = “UA-4888259-1″;urchinTracker();

I am thankful for … a husband who will ask, then actually listen, console and offer suggestion.
I am creating … a shopping list to organize my house!  Plastic bins and totes and a decaf coffee canister (which is totally unrelated, but still on the list)
I am celebrating … change, summer and the magic of Colour Wonder markers!
From the kitchen … amazing baby potatoes, sauteed with fresh onion and dill, then baked with organic potato-leek soup and grated cheddar to make a vegetarian gravy.  Oh my goodness!  I ate so much that I am sure I won’t be able to eat today…
I am wearing … my fleece bathrobe.  Time to hop in the shower once the bugz are done their pancakes!
I am reading … Gargoyle.  It is very interesting, but strange to say the least.  I’m about a third of the way through, and the way it has gently developed from crass and painful to a softly growing beauty is incredible.  I didn’t even realize the changes happening to the protagonist until it had already happened.  Kind of like life ;)  Beautiful to say the least.
I am hoping … that today provides me with a bounty of insight, peace of mind and calm.
I am hearing … some good country tunes on the radio :)
Around the house and yard … nearly 2 weeks worth of weeding to attack, groceries to buy and laundry to put away.
One of my favourite things … the perfect little ringlets that my bugz get instead of bangs.  So very sweet … just like the poem:

There was a little girl with a curl
Right in the middle of her forehead;
And when she was good, she was very, very good,
and when she was bad, she was horrid!

A few plans for the rest of the week … a visit to the J’Adore Dance studio today, maybe a dance class tonight (!), picking up last week’s vegetables from Julia, filing some business at work (yay paycheque!), picking up more veggies, and heading to Calgary for a team event!
Here are some picture thoughts I am sharing with you (from Vegas, of course!):
Outside the Paris hotel
The musical fountains at the Bellagio – magical!!!
The hotel self-portrait