A beginning...

Today I made the decision to begin this blog... and I'm excited and nervous. I don't know if anyone will read it, but at this moment I'm not sure that it matters all that much to me. I intend for this to me therapeutic for me, and maybe for anyone who reads it, like a digital journal. All manner of insights can come when we just put a pen to paper, or a keyboard to the screen. And I've just recently started a whole bunch of new things -- and rediscovered some of the things I loved and lost.

Yoga, stillness in motion...
I'm Yoga instructor (200hrs Vinyasa), but took about six months off during the last portion of my pregnancy and for the two months after my emergency c-section. My daughter is my second child, she was born on September 28th, 2010.  Two weeks ago I began my teaching and personal practice again and all at once I was hit by the things I missed so dearly. The "ahhh" feeling after an hour of practice... the ability to fall flat on my face and laugh about it because I'm having an off balance day,... the immense satisfaction I get from helping teach others how to find that stillness in their hearts and minds through a gentle practice [and a few more advance postures, just for funzies], and the calm collected peaceful feeling that is beginning to find its way back into my heart, mind and soul. I've missed it terribly!

This morning's practice was the embodiment of those sensations. I had the beautiful honor to teach and practice with 3 amazing ladies -- offering them the chance to get away from their normal routines and take time for themselves. We mostly worked on hip openers and I threw in handstands for a challenge and for fun. It was my first attempt at a handstand in months, and while it took a few [okay, quite a few] hops to get up, I did it! And all three ladies did it too [first with hesitation, but they all came down with smiles =)]! Seeing them smile makes it worth it, helping understand and overcome  fear -- knowledge that will spill over from simple inversions. Fear is an emotion we all wrestle with, the trick is to not let your fear control you but to use it to your advantage. To laugh in its face! I got the chance to do that today,too! I was demonstrating how to jump from down dog into forward bend, keeping the legs tucked using more of my core strength to float lightly through the air. Turns out, I don't have much core strength right now and I fell forward, nearly face planting into my giant exercise ball! Hey, living in the moment and being exactly where you are is where the beauty lies. ;) So laugh a little!

I'm a chronic worrier, and this ability that Yoga is teaching me --the capability to not be overrun with my fears,  improves more than just my handstands. Its been a long year filled with all of life's tribulations. I'm searching here and now...experiencing my life, the love of my two beautiful children, the faith and devotion with my husband, some delicious food, amazing friends and breath-taking moments of clarity with wonder and humility. We all might be reborn, but you only get one chance to experience this life.

Food Adventures!
 Tonight's dinner adventure was Chicken Paprikash. I've had "chicken and paprika" before, probably some of the best fried chicken I've had in my entire life. Fried chicken with paprika reminds me of my time in Germany -- every time I've asked my mom about the best.fried.chicken.ever she tells me "just chicken, butter and paprika"... well it rocks. I'm drooling!

 This recipe uses a LOT of paprika - 2 whole tablespoons! But it is soo good. I thought the sauce was a little thin, next time I'll use a slurry to thicken it. It came to me in Martha Stewart "Food Everyday", a subscription my Dad got for me. Now I'm going to admit that this is the 6th recipe I've tried from this food magazine, and so far its the only the second I will be keeping. I haven't been nearly as impressed with it, but it definitely gives me a lot of ideas. I've been far more pleased with my monstrosity of a cookbook from America's Test Kitchen/Cooks Illustrated "The New Best Recipe".

 As usual the Hubby ate seconds. I think its a keeper, I really enjoyed the flavor of the chicken, it was tender and it didn't take very long to cook!

I hope your dinners were as tasty as mine turned out!