art journaling...help!

I'm sitting in Starbucks (so thankful they finally got free wi-fi...it's about time!) researching art journaling, and I've decided to take a short break to blog. I have been wanting to begin art journaling for a while now, and I decided today was the day to begin. After I leave Starbucks, I'll be heading to Michael's craft store to pick up a few supplies. I already have a journal I can use, mod podge & brushes, and lots of stamps, ink, and colored pens. Unfortunately before the move, I trashed all my magazines, so I'm going to have to start up another collection of those. I am not really fond of paint, so I don't think I'll be doing much painting in my journal.

I am so very excited about this! I have journaled for as long as I can remember (although my journaling has slowed a bit since I began my blog, but I still do write in it periodically), and the thought of creating a more visual journal is really appealing to me right now. Tomorrow it's supposed to rain all day, and if that is the case, I'll have plenty of time to experiment with my newest form of creative expression.

So at this point, I know very, very little about art journaling & if any of you out there has experience with it, I would love to hear your recommendations, thoughts, advice, etc. Thanks in advance!!!

Namaste'
Leslie

rain, cycling, & yoga

It is pouring down rain outside as I write this post, and I am snuggled up under a light blanket (I love being covered up in a blanket even in the middle of summer) on our new chaise lounge (I also love chaise lounges, and I've wanted one for years--so excited to finally have one.) I typically am not one who appreciates rain, especially if I have to get out in it; however, there are occasional instances when I really like the rain, and this evening is one of those.

While I'm reading blogs, writing, and exploring on the internet, my husband is vegged out on the sofa watching the Tour de France. He is a cyclist and looks forward to watching this race every summer. While I don't enjoy being on a bike, I do like to watch the races and over the years, I've even learned a little bit about the strategy behind races and some of the lingo. This year, apparently, there is a big rivalry between Lance Armstrong & Alberto Contador. Contador won the tour last year and he and Lance were on the same team. This year they are not on the same team, and I will admit, I'm hoping the old guy (that would be Lance as he is 38 and that is old in racing terms) is able to pull off a win. Guess we will just have to watch and see...

On another note, I am almost embarrassed to admit that I haven't practiced yoga in a few weeks. My sabbatical from teaching has become a short sabbatical from practicing (although I plan to resume' my practice this week.) We've been incredibly busy with the move, and then I slashed the bottom of my right foot, and there was no way I could do the more rigorous practice I was used to, as I could barely walk (was limping around on the ball of my foot most of the time). Now I am recovered & mostly settled into our new home, so I'm looking forward to getting back in my yoga routine. One of the great things about yoga is that it accepts you back graciously whenever you are ready--it meets you where you are.

Namaste'
Leslie

photos

Here are a few random photos from this past month...

Namaste'

Leslie

laughing at ourselves

I have two "most embarrassing moment" stories. Both occurred during my early 20's~One involved superglue & the other a microphone.

During our move, I stepped on something sharp and ended up with deep gash in the bottom of my heel. My sweet husband said I should crazy glue the wound shut. I thought he was crazy. But apparently, according to him, crazy glue was developed during one of the wars to help heal soldiers' wounds. So, for a week I hobbled around with a bum heel, and then last night when the pain was getting really awful, I broke down and bought some crazy glue. This morning I glued my heel shut, and now it is feeling SO much better. Wish I would have listened to him right after it happened. Anyway, the crazy gluing of my heel this morning made me think about one of my most embarrassing moments...

When I was a sophomore in college, I was still living at home and was commuting to a community college where I sang and danced in a show choir (I am not currently a Gleek, but I was very much one back then). We had very early morning rehearsals which led to me getting up insanely early to make the commute and arrive on time for rehearsal. One morning, after I had cleaned my room up the night before, I got up (keep in mind it was still pitch black outside), and grabbed my contact lense drops. I leaned my head back, and put a big drop in my right eye. It immediately stung, so I instinctively closed my eyes tight. Within a moment, I realized that the night before while cleaning, I had taken the super glue out from under my bed and laid it on my nightstand. The eye drop bottle was exactly like the superglue bottle, and my eye was now completely glued shut.

I ran out of my room in a panic to tell my mother what I had done. She immediately called poison control and the women on the other end of the line assured her that I would be fine...that it happened all the time, although it was usually 5 year olds rather than 20 year olds. She said to get in the shower and run hot water on my eye until it came apart. An hour later, after running the hot water over my eye, it hadn't budged.

We ended up driving to an opthomologist in Jefferson City (as my small home town didn't have one), where he cut my eyelashes off (they do grow back) and got my eyelid apart. Seriously, I have never been so thankful for my eyesight as that day. And, in hindsight, I am able to laugh at the entire scenario!

So, this is one of my most embarrassing stories...(the other I will share at another time)~occasionally laughing at ourselves is a very good thing!

Do you have any stories to share?

Namaste'
Leslie

moving

Moving is exhausting and incredibly exciting (as long as your moving to a place you really want to live). Yesterday we got most of our kitchen stuff unpacked, got a gas stove hooked up, hung a mirror, got a table delivered, curtains were hung, shower curtain up, & garage organized. (Thanks to Mom & Tim for all your help).

As a side note, we've now slept here three nights, and I keep feeling like I'm staying in a really nice hotel. I cannot believe this is my home--at moments I find myself thinking I am not worthy of it all (I know this is going back to my of my false beliefs about money and possessions--still working on this). I am, however, so incredibly thankful & know I am blessed.

I am also very much looking forward to getting settled in and getting back to blogging on a more regular basis!

Namaste'
Leslie

boxes

These days my life is about boxes. Filling boxes up with my stuff. Even though my husband and I really try not to accumulate too much stuff, it's amazing to me how many boxes are needed to move...

One week from today we will be closing on our new home. It's hard to believe the day is almost here. I am so very grateful for our new house. I've loved the one we've lived in the past 4.5 years, but I do feel like now is the time to move on. I am so very excited about getting settled in and making a "home" out of our new house. I also really hope the people moving into our current house love it as much as we have. We've filled it with a lot of love and positive energy! And that's what matters most--not the stuff in the boxes!

Namaste'
Leslie

speed

One of my favorite quotes by Gandhi is, "There is more to life than increasing its speed."

I agree with this statment completely; however, between finishing up the school year, selling a bunch of our furniture, starting to pack, and getting ready for the big move in just 2 short weeks, life has been flying by!

Tomorrow is the last day of school for the year. This is such a good feeling. My sweet husband and I will be going out to eat at one of our favorite restaurants, Sophia's, to celebrate! Although there may be people out there that think summers off is a treat and bonus, I would argue it is a neccessity. Anyone who has worked in a school setting knows we cram 12 months worth of work into 9 short months. The pace of working in a school setting is 100 miles a minute all. day. long. During those fast-paced, chaotic, and jam-packed 9 months, we are pulled in every direction by parents, co-workers, the state, and, of course, the students. I am not complaining, I really like my job, but having summers to regroup and rejuvenate is a must~and it's almost arrived!

I hope each of you have some time this summer to relax and rejuvenate!

Namaste'
Leslie

express yourself

My husband and I spent the weekend flower and plant shopping and then landscaping at our new home. We negotiated with the builder to let us do our own landscaping as we both really enjoy the process. Landscaping, while very hard work, is also a process that really gets my creative juices flowing. Choosing the flowers and plants and different heights and colors and then arranging them in the space is so much fun--not to mention watching the plants grow and bloom and spread over time!

Have you been feeling very creative lately? If not, there are many ways to get your creative juices flowing:

*write

*draw

*play an instrument

*dance

*plant a garden

*cook

*color

*paint

*redecorate a room

*create a new yoga sequence

*make a collage

*try out a new hair style

*paint your nails a bright summery color

Have fun & express yourself!

Namaste'

Leslie

yogathought

Here is your yogathought for the day (I'm still working on this one!):

"You'll simplify your life and feel inspired if you learn to play, rather than work, your way through life." --Wayne Dyer

Happy weekend!

Namaste'
Leslie

all in a days work

First, I want to give a big shout out to my friends Trevor & Samantha (if you happen to be reading this, we should get together soon!) for introducing me to the iphone hipstamatic application. I've been mulling over getting a pink Holga camera for about a year now, as I love the look of old photographs. However, the cost of buying film and processing it has stopped me from taking the plunge and buying the camera. Now, with the hipstamatic application, I can get the look I want and have it all digitally! So Very Excited about this! Thank you!

As my partner counselor said today, this week is kind of the "calm before the storm" at work. Starting next week, students will be very stressed getting ready for finals. With the purchase of my new app, I decided to shoot a few pics of my office. I've tried to create a very calming and welcoming environment at work. It's always amazing to me how much one's surroundings can really set a tone and vibe for the interactions and experiences in the space.

So, here are a few hipstamaticized (totally made this word up) shots of my office (and my sweet husband and I tonight at dinner):

Namaste'

Leslie

3 things I'm looking foward to

I understand the importance of living in the present, and I try to do this as much as possible. However, I also think it's fun to have things to look forward to and get excited about. Right now, here are the top 3 things on my list:

1. the last day of school for this school year (12 days and counting)
2. moving into our new home (CAN NOT WAIT)
3. the release of the movie Sex & The City 2

What 3 things are on your list?

Namaste'
Leslie

update on my yoga teaching sabbatical

I have been on a yoga teaching sabbatical for just over one month now, and I must say it's been going very well. The week after I stopped teaching, we got a contract on our home and got the house we wanted under contract (it ended up being a very busy week--and talk about perfect timing!). Since then, I've been very focused on selling some furniture (on craigslist--love craigslist!), getting ready for a garage sale we are having this weekend, and thinking about and planning how I want to decorate our new home. It's been an exciting and busy time.

I have been able to go to a few yoga classes (which have been great!), and I've done some yoga dvds at home. I am actually subbing a yoga class tonight and another one in two weeks, so I am still getting small doses of instructing. I will say, when I go to a class a part of me yearns to be the one up in front leading. However, I know at this point in my life this sabbatical is exactly what I need. I'm finding that sometimes it's good to take a step back and take a break. It can also be good to step out of the roles we so identify with...who am I if not a...yoga instructor (you can fill in your own role here)? I have also taken a break from studying and reading about yoga--my practice is all that exists for me right now as far as yoga goes.

At this time, I am very satisfied with where I am. I always joke that I'm a "Type A personality on Yoga"...I believe it's so important for those of us who are "Type As" to take a step back every once and a while and surrender some of that drive, control, and need to excel. Sometimes that step back is exactly what we need to be catapulted forward in the right direction!

Any area of your life right now in which you need to take a sabbatical?

Namaste'
Leslie

momma's day

This morning we had a wonderful mother's day brunch for my momma & tonight we had a mother's day dinner for J's mom. I am so very thankful that we were both raised by such wonderful, caring, & creative women.

Hope you had a great day, too!

Namaste'
Leslie

rollercoaster ride

In less than two months, my husband and my animal family are moving across town. It's somewhat hard to believe it's finally happening, but I am so very excited about it! Looking back, it's all coming together perfectly, but in the midst of trying to sell our home, I must admit there were many days when I didn't deal with the situation well. I had absolutely no control over our home selling, and I like to be in control. I didn't know when our home would sell, and therefore couldn't be sure there would be another house on the market we loved at the perfect time--this made me incredibly anxious. I spent way too much time in my head, and not nearly enough time in the present. I really feel like I've been on a nine month roller coaster. I will be the first to admit, I am so very glad to be off the rollercoaster, and I am most definitely a work in progress...

On another note, with this move, we have already put a bunch of furniture on Craigslist, and we are preparing for a garage sale next week. Overall, I don't think we have a ton of "stuff," but I'm definitely ready to let go of some things. As I'm going through my stuff, I'm once again coming back to the question: "Do I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this?" If the answer is no, I will be letting it go. I am a firm believer that we have to clear out in order for more good to come. The "good" has already been coming my way, and I'm ready and open for more of it!

What do you need to clear out in order to open up more space?

Namaste'
Leslie

you can heal your life

Today I watched the movie/documentary You Can Heal Your Life, and I am feeling completely inspired. It's based on the book by Louise Hay--which I haven't yet read but now have on order. It's essentially about the law of attraction and how your thoughts affect your body and the creation of your life. I definitely recommend it; however, I feel I must add that there are times when it is very cheesy--I've found many of these type of personal growth, low budget films are a bit corny--but, I just keep focus on the wonderful message, and I am usually able to look past it. If you've already seen it or read the book, I'd love to know your thoughts!

Namaste'
Leslie