Sunday Ponderings

Wow it has been a crazy week!! Thankfully it was followed by a super relaxing, no strings attached weekend!! J was in Atlanta for the Tough Mudder and I held down the fort... cooking, cleaning, hanging with Baci, relaxing, practicing yoga... :) Yesterday, I had an hair appointment with Dana who I completed teacher training with... I am loving the outcome - a darker shade with random hints of warmer, lighter color pops!! All good stuff and very natural looking - just richer in tone :) I also went to a mini spa night with Meg, her mom, and sister. We used all-natural exfoliators, facial steam bath, (2) masks... one was honey based the other cacao based! The cacao one LOOKED like pudding and actually had to be refrigerated. All of the products are edible, just in case... LOL. We finished with a toner and moisturizer; my skin still feels so amazing...  I truly believe: You have to be good to yourself always and treat yourself sometimes :)

I have been trying to make a few fun dinners a week - lately the *fun* dinners have been on the weekends!! Last weekend, it was a Sweet Potato Kale Pizza from Two Peas and their Pod. I used ready-made dough from Sunflower Market ... AMAZING!! I will definitely be buying it again when quick, creative pizzas are on the menu again :)

Today, Chinese Curry Chicken is in the Slow Cooker via Full Bellies, Happy Kids, whose author has actually relocated to a new blog. It's currently cooking and making the house smell absolutely delish!! We have been loving homemade Asian food these days!


Ever since I began the QuickShape Challenge, I have been thinking more about why I am eating what I am eating .... I try to determine the benefits and outweigh the positive and negative sides to food/drink I am investing in and trusting in .... Everything we place in our bodies becomes a part of us, a part of our health; aren't you interested in food's effects on your body ?
I have read quite a bit in regards to curry and its benefits. It is an immunity booster, asthma combator, and it actually aids in easing joint swelling... Read more about curry's health benefits here.
Red onions are one of the foods I seem to be putting into everything I cook these days...And they are such a beautiful vegetable! I adore chopping them except for some of the tears that arise!! Then I find myself sticking my head in the freezer to relieve my eyes... J taught me this! Red onions contain the flavonal Quercetin which helps keep your memory in shape.. Love this :)
I also found that you should try to keep the outermost layers of the onions you chop in the meal, as these layers are most rich in flavonoids. Read more regarding red onion health benefits here.

   
J returns from ATL this afternoon, so I want dinner to be ready to go whenever he walks in the door... :) I will leave you with a photo I took of Baci this week... 

Happy Sunday!
Robyn

Ingrid

Ingrid Michaelson is playing at the Walnut Room tonight and to my dismay, I am not going!! Here's a great little diddy from her..."Keep Breathing" LIVE.
Enjoy :)

Weekend in Review

Here is a quick over view of the weekend .... I am pretty tired, so it is going to be quick! :) I got my book club book from the library today... History of Love by Nicole Krauss. I am about to start it tonight! Yay!!

Friday Night...
We attended the first ever Winter concert at Red Rocks ... the best outdoor music space on the planet :) The Icelandic concert featured intellectual rap - Common and Atmosphere!! Cold times, but FUN times!! ...with Crystal, Bonnie, Steph, Orench, and Sarah :)

Saturday Morning...
Gymnastics class at Qi. All upper body strengthening.

Saturday Afternoon...
Pho with Justin, Catrina, and Rokha and then a bit of fro yo with C & J in Arvada :) Great time catching up!!

Saturday Evening...
I relaxed at home and I DD'ed J so he could compete in the Colorado Beer Olympics downtown...

Sunday Morning...
Attended the Winter Yoga Teacher training morning session to support the new trainees and get a bit of a refresh:)
Went to Yoga Sculpt with 74 other people... Kicked my bootay as usual ... But what gives, we have one body, and who else is going to keep it strong and powerful ?! :)

Sunday Afternoon...
Showered up and went to the shooting range... Yes, I said shooting range... With J, Natalie, Chad, Christen, Joel, and Nick.. We were there forever waiting but it was worth it! I can only describe it as quite "shocking" ;)

Sunday Evening...
J treated me to Thai at Swing Thai... Yellow Curry Noodles with Brown Rice and Great Conversation ? Yes, please!!

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend :)
XO
Robyn

Easy Saturday

I went to gymnastics class this morning, and Justin FINALLY got a membership to Qi just before class. :)
Picked up my new glasses!
Ate Pho and caught up with Catrina, Rokha, and Justin...
It's beginning to snow...
I'm listening to "Amy Winehouse Lioness: Hidden Treasure," a posthumous release... so beautiful while cozying up on a chilly Saturday afternoon!
Pulling together idea boards for my sister-in-law's fall wedding...
Later :: Heading to Happy Hour and then a friend's for a get together this evening...


EnJOY your Saturday :)

Happy December!

Happy December!! November flew by, but let's be present shall we ?! 31 days left to go in 2011. So, what are your plans for month 12?

I wish to...

1. Have more Early Morning Dance Parties. This is when we blast 80s music throughout our house when we are getting ready for work and we dance around... It definitely takes the "Manic" out of my Mondays!!

2. Find our Christmas Tree and decorate it with biodegradable, DIY craft projects!! Stay tuned :)

3. Take Anusara yoga classes in Denver... I have only scratched the surface, just barely, but I would like to learn more :)

4. Go snowshoeing before year's end. 

5. Journal not just before but also AFTER all yoga classes I teach.

6. Enjoy every moment that is left of 2011. Live the life I love.

XX

Robyn

DENVER HAS SNOW!

It has been a while. It really has. We were predicted to have snow and we are still getting it!!! We will be getting it at least into tomorrow night the weather people are saying... I am absolutely psyched! The roads weren't bad, just had to be careful. I am sure Baci was surprised by the snow when I let him out after work seeing that there hadn't been any this morning (if dogs think that way! ;)

We are headed up to Silverthorne for New Year's weekend!! We are staying at a friend's condo with a group of friends, so it should be FUN times had by all :) I will be taking my first downhill ski lessons ever (I say "downhill" because I have skied cross-country ONCE. In New York. Not sure if that even counts ?!) Happy Happy!

DENVER SKYLINE

Via

THE JOURNEY IS THE REWARD: MY FIRST 1/2 MARATHON

I ran my first half marathon October 18, 2009 - The Denver Half Marathon in beautiful downtown Denver! I pretty much trained on my own for this race - just kept a running calendar - worked on my mileage and my pace and just kept on running without looking back! This race was a goal I wanted to see if I could achieve on my own... With the help of G-d beside me.

(via Zazzle)

True Fact: I had never loved running or called myself a "runner" in the past. It was never quite my thing. Sure, I would run 5Ks often for charity and completed my first 10K in May, but I never considered a long distance such as 13.1 miles!!

After fulfilling a couple of major life goals during this past year, I knew I didn't want it to stop. I had spoke with friends who had run half and full marathon distances... They made it sound possible to me, while I had always thought it impossible.

Race day came and I couldn't believe it was my day to run... But that day I ran for so much more than myself.... I ran for my parents, my fiancé, my sisters, my friends who are like family to me.... I ran with G-d, and without him I am not sure if I could have finished. The sunrise was beautiful during the first mile - it calmed me down and allowed me to reflect and to pray and to just take some time out... I learned that I wasn't running for myself; I was running for the world.... If I could do this, then maybe someone else would be intrigued to try and reach their goals... Running isn't always about getting the best pace, finishing first... Running is about the JOURNEY... The Journey you have with yourself, with G-d, with your thoughts...

THE JOURNEY IS THE REWARD.