Get Some

Dear Readers,

Day 4 of the cleanse, after all that "quantum cleansing" I was seriously thinking that learning to meditate needed to move up my list of things to do, and quick!  But where to begin?  And how?  Being Type-A, I became instantly concerned about doing this properly.  Meditation seemed to require a lot of investigation, reading and research.  Man, I'd really need meditation once I actually figured it out.

Stress suddenly descended and then there it was: a post on one of my fav blogs, Whoorl about this very thing!  The universe truly does provide, doesn't it?  Thank you, Sarah James, for being the Type-A meditation guinea pig and finding, and test-driving, the fabulous meditation site GetSomeHeadspace.com designed for busy meditation novices.

Simple, easy, ten minutes a day, led by its very nice-looking, sexy-sounding British founder (and former Buddhist Monk) Andy Puddicombe...what more can I say?  Get on it and get some!  And definitely watch the pre-meditation videos on the GetSomeHeadspace website for inspiration on why you're doing this and what you're moving towards.

So how was it?  After my first ten minute session I felt like I'd just completed an hour and a half of yoga.  Calm, serene, refreshed...just lovely.  And not how I usually feel at 1pm I can tell you.  Obviously I'm still in the kiddie pool of meditation, but won't you join me?  The water's perfect.

Om...

Quantum Cleansing

Dear Readers,

Well, Sweetie and I are on Day 3 of our cleanse.  We did 3 days of "pre-cleansing" where we ate strictly on an elimination diet, and now are on the third full day of the "real" cleanse.  How's it going?  First the positives: I'm lighter, not very hungry, and the shakes aren't terrible with added blueberries, spinach, flax and almond milk.  The negatives: We haven't found "favorite" meals yet, and when Muffin turns down perfectly good mac and cheese we both are like "whhhhyyyyy do you see what Mommy and Daddy are eating???," we were super-duper exhausted at night for a few days, and both were just kinda down in the dumps initially, honestly.  But last night I started feeling myself pulling out of all that and regaining my energy.  Then, I couldn't sleep.  Obviously.

During this "not sleeping" I tried very, very hard to not do what I'd usually do and reach for a Tylenol P.M. to mask whatever thoughts were keeping me up so I could go back to sleep.  Instead, inspired by Dr. Junger's concept of "quantum cleansing" - ie emotional and physical cleansing - I lay awake to face my anxiety and thoughts head-on.  No real solutions just yet to life's burning issues, but maybe soon.

In the meantime, we have started some cleanse-suggested physical activities (you know, to use up all that non-eating time) - going for family walks and doing some light yoga.  We signed up for YogaVibes on our Roku, so we can do it in our house whenever we want.  So far we've done one whole class (go us!) but it was pretty good.  Breathing, releasing, stretching...all very needed, obviously as the next day I was a little sore.  Yikes.  Welcome back to your body, Catherine!

Anyhow, since I'm on my quantum-cleanse kick, I thought I'd share this quote with you all.  As I cleanse I'm trying to practice kindness towards both myself and others.  Even when all I really want to do is focus exclusively on me and chow down on some mac and cheese.

Here you go!

Life in the Fab Lane

Dear Readers,

Today, Sweetie and I began a cleanse.  A no-doubt, celebrity-tested cleanse designed to change our bodies and mind.  Yesterday, driving to Whole Foods to purchase some cleanse-friendly items I suddenly felt a euphoric surge of happiness.  We're doing this!  I'm going to be so HEALTHY and THIN!  Hooray!!

See, in the months since New Years we were uber healthy.  Obnoxiously so.  Then...well, you know.  Life.  Work.  A Mexican vacation.  And suddenly we were both sluggish and chubby and our high and mighty vegan ways were barely even contemplated as we ate delivery pizza.  Again.  It was like the Christmas eating/drinking season in July. To re-boot, and finally really nail down what foods are best for us, we decided to cleanse.  Everyone does it post-holidays, why not us?

Fast-forward to last night.  After Muffin went to bed we made quinoa and lentils and harvested some veggies from our garden (yes, we're "those" people with a trendy suburban veggie garden) over our very last glass of wine for a while.  Our plan (thanks in part to one of the Wellness Coaches at Clean) is to keep such items on hand for quick salad lunches and whatnot.  I was exhausted when my head hit the pillow.

This morning, my first attempt at a "clean"-friendly meal was "pancakes" that made my husband want to cry thinking to the month ahead.  Not the start I had hoped for, but there's time.  Make that, like, a whole month.
 
So what are you doing already????  you're asking.  Well, we're doing the Dr. Junger of "Clean" book fame cleanse.  Gwyneth did it, Kris Karr, Donna Karen...so you know it's legit.  I'll provide updates as this goes along.  Keep your fingers crossed.

In the meantime, since eating will go from being one of my favorite activities to a non-event, I'm going to get my dessert in the visual variety.  And this, really, is it.  Behold: DVF, her estate, and some completely fabby photos.  My new goal is to live like DVF (best quote: "I don't wear vintage.  I AM vintage.").  What a rockstar.

Cheers to Day One!

Be Prepared

Dear Readers,

A few of my expecting friends expressed late-term stress about needing to pack their hospital bag.  There are necessities one needs post-delivery for sure, and nobody wants to pack during labor just in case, but where is the time?  I, brilliantly I thought, came up with the idea of designing a ready-to-go hospital bag.  GENIUS I thought.

Well. The genius is not alone, as it turns out.

Behold, the Best Friends for Life Mommy/Delivery BFFL bag (see below).  Stocked with snacks, toiletries, and plenty of mommy personal care items in a very happy-looking duffle, this bag seems pretty great.  $120 great?  Maybe.

Personally, my ultimate delivery bag would be a little larger so post-birth I could use it to haul around the larger stuff that goes with kids: beach towels, toys, books, etc.   My bag would also include some fab yoga pants and a nursing top.  And maybe some aromatherapy, since we're just thinking out loud here.

You?  What would your "ultimate" bag include?  And how much would you be willing to spend?

4th of Julys Past

Dear Readers,

Sorry for the massive hiatus!  Lots of travel and work have come and gone (I plan to do an apres-Mexico post about international baby travel so stay tuned!).  But in the meantime, I came across this brilliant, fab, gorge blog and absolutely had to share because it's total bliss: Paris in Four Months.  (Image below is from her trip to Versailles!)

It's incredible what an eye this girl has for all things Europe and what memories they inspire!  It's like when you smell a Christmas tree and are immediately transported to all of your childhood Christmas memories.  Such happy, young, fun, tipsy memories....ah...la vie.  I wouldn't trade where I am now for anything in the world, but a short Muffin + Sweetie + Mommy trip to Paris would be the very best!  And what timing.  My favorite 4th of July memory is from my Junior year of college, living in Angers, France, singing the Star Spangled Banner after a lot of wine through the streets with fellow new friends.  What a time.

Happy 4th to you!