Where Have Those Muscles Been?

I have tried everything from spinning, running, training, TRX, yoga, Pilates, Barre, swimming, tennis, etc. Each exercise makes me sore about 8 times out of 10. Never have I felt what I have felt this week after a total of 12 hours of training and taking Barre classes.

Now begins my obsession with Ballet. I never did ballet growing up, it was too girly and frankly boys were not in class so I had no interest. I'd rather do sports that I could flirt with the boys and show off :)

This week I have trained with my trainer and done Barre class many many many times. Parts of my body hurt I never new existed. Each night I went home ready to crawl into bed...

Meraki Barre allows the teaches to infuse their creativity to each and every class. Although there is a format to class, the music and moves change...so does your body.

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A few months ago I found my Pilates classes becoming mundane and I wanted to add spice to class. Let me tell you, there is nothing like a little spice when you see a grown athletic man pushing 200 holding a Magic Circle in his hands in first position releve! And grunting. That's when you know you've hit it...the hidden muscles. Wait until next day for your muscles to scream at you...and then pat yourself on the back.

Back to Reality

I am back. Still have not found the time to post about the trip but don't worry there will be a 14 day series about all of our travels! I will leave out the days that include airport transfers as they were not fun for us nor you :)

We landed on Friday and I had to come straight back into the office for a meeting. EEK. All I could think about was my warm cozy fluffy bed but somehow had to stay awake so I could kick jet lag (lost that battle).

So after work I went straight to spin, how hard could it be?, it was only a 30 minute class and I walked the entire time I was away. Ha ha ha. Joke was on me but I made it. Then went Saturday and Sunday. By Monday I was walking funny but I was BACK!

Who knew that one week back it feels like we never left, back to the routine. Work-out, work, teach, see friends, host party. And now 7 days later it is a gorgeous day and I get a text from my husband saying "rather be in Punta" as if I wasn't already day dreaming about summer!

I love vacation and I love travel but I need money to do both, hence work :). However, I do need to find time to sit back, relax, and take mini vacations. As much as I love my routine, I end up doing too much, forgetting it is ok to say NO (I was told yesterday that "no" is a complete sentence...it does not need an explanation...how perfect is that for the busy holiday season?).

So when you find yourself in your routine running around, wondering why you are tired, holding the to-do list in your hand, and dreaming about your next vacation.. take the time to laugh, put your feet up, and just be still! And maybe you'll get the courage say NO to the next function that threatens to deplete your last free minutes!

Ahh the Honeymoon

We have moved to country número dos! And I have traveled and I like a lot places but very few have gotten the ... I would pack my family up (or back in the day just me) and move to a new country. Well Uruguay gets this endorsement. We rented a car and I drove because oddly enough I'm the only one who can drive a stick shift. Easiest country to get around (with a GPS of course). Anyhow, stay tuned, when I'm back that first week will be focused on these two south american countries we will have spent 15 days in!
And if you know of a company wanting to send someone to Punta del Este, one of us will do it!
Swimmingly yours,

The Coffee Shop

In the states we have one or two on every corner. Some offer strong coffee others you have to ask for a double shot.

Here in Buenos Aires they are every corner but all unique. They are coffee houses. Places to meet, to watch, to enjoy each others company and not to plug in because they wifi and ignore the company you are with.

Find me one of these in the states with waiter, STRONG coffee, and to die for baked goods. The people watching is to die for, more than gals wearing yoga clothes or men dressed in suits all looking down hoping the line goes fast because they are off to the next thing. Not here, there is dancing, laughing, talking, smiling, and most of all enjoying the present. Something we can all take away from the Argentians...enjoy the moment with those around you.

Happy Monday from Argentina! Now off for a strong coffee and people watching.

Gratitude

November is the month of thanksgiving and gratitude. We forever look to what we are thankful on the outside: family, friends, health, etc. My challenge that I have been giving my classes this past week and through the balance of the month is finding inward gratitude...what are you thankful about yourself: strengths and weaknesses. What makes you, YOU? Focus on those characteristics this month and find appreciation and gratitude from within.

Some shamanic traditions in parts of Africa and the Oceanic societies attend to health and well-being through what is called "cradling work", a four-part practice in staying connected to the good, true, and beautiful aspects of one's nature. In cradling work we lie on our back and place both hands over our heart (in many cultures hands symbolize healing). Silently, we acknowledge the character qualities that we appreciate about ourselves, we acknowledge our strengths, we acknowledge the contributions that have been made and continue to be made, and we acknowledge the love given and the love received. - Angeles Arrien in "The Four-Fold Way"

Use the rest of the month to focus on all the things you love about you!!! Have gratitude to yourself ~ you deserve it.

Dancing in the Rain

Happy Sunday...as I started to write the blog it was pouring but in the true beauty of Southern California the sun is now breaking through and my justification of not working out has now lost all of its legs...I'll be going for a run but in the meantime...

Merging Moola!

I have been sitting on this post since Tuesday. Sorry friends! I got bogged down at the office and then realized how tough this topic was for me!

Everyone who has gotten married and done pre-marital counseling has had the talk about merging finances, future financial plans, etc. Maybe even some of you have had the talk and you are just dating. It was a big deal for me to change my name (see last week's post "What's in a Name"). Now I have to SHARE my money too (eldest children truly have a tough time with sharing!).

In all honesty, I thought this would be easier than the name change (or in my case hyphen), I am now realizing this part of merging as a WE that is the hardest. At 31, I have worked to get where I am. My funds tell a story of my life (or the life since I was financially independent of my Daddy...which on the day I was married he made this clear that I was officially "off the payroll").

There is the story of when I first moved to LA (Manhattan Beach): Hollywood dinners and parties, new hair, new hair products, nails every weekend, shopping, shopping, the hottest bar, group breakfast every Saturday and Sunday, did I mention shopping for the latest style, and crazy gym memberships (gym, yoga fit, Bikram yoga, Pilates, etc. each one with a month or drop in fee). I thought I was one of the rich and famous.

Now the story is I have a savings, I am not in debt to anyone or any card. I still have my expensive gym membership and I do have trainer, and I do have personal shoppers who still call me with the "friends and family" discount. The difference now is: I teach on the side for my "fun" money, I have different funds everywhere: Money Market, Savings, 2 IRA's. Group breakfasts have been traded with breakfast with Derek on the patio reading the paper. My shopping addiction (if you don't believe me read Shopoholic - I was her!) has been replaced with running, cleaning the house, etc.

So when my husband asked me if I would be moving my direct deposit from RAJ over to our joint account, I lost sleep. What do you mean SHARE MY money. I want to control my portion (the oldest child is coming out in me). I am fine with writing him a cheque or wiring the funds from my bank to OUR account. But not having the funds pass through me first, scary ... it is as if I am losing my independence. I was brought up to be so independent and strong and now I am learning to depend on my husband.  You truly are no longer dependent on your parents and your safety net has been cast around the man who has promised to have and to hold through good and bad. I believe the scariness of merging accounts and changing names is the loss of the woman you have become. But I gained so much more: a husband who is my best friend!

Perhaps it is easier when you are younger and your identity is still being formed and the story behind your money has not become a story of your life.

Here's to combining the funds...what's yours in mine, what's mine is yours. :)

And if you are looking for a way to track to your spending and budget, set goals, etc. try www.mint.com. I love this website!

Happy Friday.