Doing Yoga

One of my goals for 2011 was to do yoga every day, if even just a single stretch before crawling into bed at night. Theres been a lot going on behind the scenes over here, and I'm not going to make excuses: I sucked at it.

Well as we dig into my ongoing health issues (which I'll post about later, when I'm good and ready), we decided as a family that taking the natural approach of healing is whats going to be best for us. Its worth a try at least.

And I have to say, so far so good.

Part of that, is getting back to my yoga practice. So every day, I've been pulling my yoga mat out of the closet, getting down on it, and breathing deeply through heart, mind, and muscle opening stretches.

Breathing the stress away. Breathing the tension away. Breathing the pain away.

And I don't know about you, or how others do it, but- I do yoga with my eyes closed. I can't help it. Its natural for me. It blocks out all of the distraction, and takes me to that place of relaxation.

Sometimes I don't have time to myself though, and I have to work with what I've got. Okay, rarely, do I get time to myself. Taking a shower every 3 days is about as me-time as it gets. So while my ideal time to do yoga is first thing in the morning before the kids wake up, while the sun is just starting to shine through the windows, and the house is still quiet- thats just not my reality.

Christopher grabbed the camera and documented how it really goes. And I have to say, while his pictures are almost always blurry and unflattering (the ones of me at least)- I love that hes capturing these moments for us.



The baby wakes up from her nap as soon as I start doing my routine. Daddy sets her up on the pink yoga mat, next to my grey one.

Charlie hears something going on, it echoes up the stairs and into the play room, so he scoots down, and joins his sister in a standing pose, next to Mommy.



I told them that were more than welcome to join me, but that they had to stay on their own mat.

Ignore that I still look pregnant. I've had 3 c-sections- enough said.



While the "stay on your own mat" rule was feasible for Evelyn (har har), Charlie had a much more difficult time with it, and broke it the first chance he got.



Okay, well since you're over here- reach, reach, reach for the stars.

And now go back to your own mat. Please.



See, you can totally do yoga from your side of the room. Are you ready?

Evelyn? Are you ready too? You're not getting out of this one either, slobber face. Put down your chew toy, and lift that arm up. Something about heat radiating from your heart and shooting out of your fingertips. ...just act like theres a really buttony remote control or cell phone being dangled above your head.



Very good, babies!! It feels nice, doesn't it? Its right up there with ice cream and se- ...um. Santa. :D



Aaaaand because it was Christopher that was taking these pictures, there is of course, a butt shot.

Even when I'm not feeling well, and would much rather bury my face in the arm of the couch in a wishful attempt at getting some rest, I know that its best to stay on my feet, raise my arms above my head, fold myself in half, and take deep breaths in and out through my nose.

Has anyone tried yogatoday.com? Or any other similar websites? I'd love recommendations, to help me get my daily dose. This is going to be a loooong journey for me, and I'm trying my hardest, and my best, to take responsibility and hold my self accountable. If you've got a link to a website that I probably don't know about, please send it my way?