your mind is quiet, your heart is strong

I have been lucky enough to start taking yoga classes over the past few weeks. The first week I started, I went kind of crazy going 5 times in one week. But it was Thanksgiving, and now that my schedule is packed again, I've been able to go consistently twice a week or so.

Yoga is good for my soul, in fact, I would even say it's good for every one's soul. The yoga class that I have the most affinity toward, is a meditation style class (Viniyoga). While we spend the class working on different poses, we focus on our breathing and remembering how powerful it can be to breathe fully.

My mantra for this class is something the instructor said to us a few weeks ago. "Your mind is quiet, your heart is strong". Life gets busy and stressful, and often times it seems impossible to turn your mind off, even if it's just for an hour and a half. This class gives me a space where I can allow my mind drift into a place of peace. Where I can focus on the strength inside of me and choose to move forward in my life with confidence and gratitude.

cold tangerines

I'm reading a new book. I wasn't supposed to start a new one until I finished my current book (which is also an assignment for work, although it's a Fannie Flagg book so it doesn't actually feel like work). Nonetheless, I need to finish it. So when Cold Tangerines became available at the library, I told myself that I couldn't start it until I buckled down and finished my other book.

Since I couldn't resist the rest of the title "celebrating the extraordinary nature of everyday life", I started reading it. It's not a novel like I thought it was, but I was already singing it's praises before I had even finished the introduction. Shauna Niequist writes all about appreciating today for what it is and celebrating that. She focuses on what's good in the present. She has taught her self to stop waiting to become the person she thought she would be, and realized that all that waiting would do is make her miss out on the person already she is.

There is no magic moment when our lives change and everything is suddenly as it should be. Life is made up of many small moments that shape us into who we are, and it's time we all start celebrating them.

The 4 weeks of GIVING!

This Sunday, 12/5 kicks off the 4 weeks of Giving at Mosaic: Mayan.

Join us in bringing school supplies to support two local non-profits: The Bresee Foundation & School on Wheels. Both of these organizations are effectively serving our community and emphasis youth education and development.

Check out this video :)
4weeksofgivingweek1

yes, i ran a half marathon.

This past weekend my best friend came into town with her husband for a mini family reunion and to run the Fresno Half Marathon! Erikka's family came up to Fresno too. I was so excited to see them and super nervous to run the Half since I didn't exactly train as well as I could have. But the race was a success! I managed to run, well jog the entire thing! And Erikka and Eric got a time of 2:13! I was and still am, very proud of all of us! I kept thinking 'I can't believe I finished!!'

Morning of the race, I found out they forgot to put my name on my bib!!

I was a little angry! haha.

Eric, Erikka, me Jodie, & Collin all dressed and ready to run the 13.1!!

Finishers!! Woo hooo! So excited! ...and sore!

This I Believe II

If you value people and their stories, read this book.

If you are inspired by what others have experienced, read this book.

If you believe that everyone had a unique and purposeful life, read this book.

It's a collection of stories that reminds us of the beauty in humanity.

We don't have to look very far to find it...

new sneaks and a half.

Let me tell you, it is not fun running with sneakers that are not right for your feet.

The little training I have done for my half marathon (in less than 2 weeks, eekkk!), I have done with sneakers that make my feet (well left foot) go numb. Now it doesn't hurt per-say, but it doesn't feel good. I thought it worthwhile to get a new pair of sneaks before I attempt this giant feat. The good news, I think I found a pair that will work, finally! So now, anytime I go into a shoe store, all I say is this: "I'm a men's 8 wide".

the phantom of the opera is here...inside my mind.

A childhood dream was realized tonight when I was able to see Phantom of the Opera at the Pantages Theater! I've been trying to remember what it was about the show that made me want to see it so badly as a kid. All I can really remember is being intrigued by the music, and this phantom character.

The show was very entertaining, a little hard to follow as almost the entire plot was exposed through song, but so fun to watch. I kept dealing with the inter-turmoil of whether to love or hate the phantom. I mostly just feel sad for him, but he made some pretty bad choices.

I'm so glad I finally got to see this show!

parking tickets.

Oh the parking ticket. I'm lucky enough to have only gotten one parking ticket in my 8 years of driving. And I do have to give the awesome and sassy Jess Koehler a shout out for trying so hard to get me out of mine.

But today I saw the meterman (or is it metermaid? or neither?), or the guy who gives the tickets, I saw him giving a ticket. Then I saw the guys who the car belonged to. They were seconds away from getting back to there car and avoiding the ticket (something I can relate to). And it's not like the meter guy is doing anything wrong, but it just stinks when you have to watch yourself get a ticket. It's like you can feel the money being withdrawn from your bank account.

marry me, mr. schuester?

I don't think I can fully express in words how much I love Glee. I'm serious.

japan: part six, oyama!

After traveling all around Japan, we headed back to Kathryn and Ryan's small town Oyama, a couple hours north of Tokyo. We spent my last 2 days in their town recovering from the 4 days of constant walking and I got a chance to see what part of their everyday life is like.

Walking back to their apartments from the train station

The apartment complex!

On Saturday, Kathryn and Ryan both had to work so I spent part of the day exploring the town. I found a beautiful river and walked around for the better part of the afternoon.

Ice cream again! Blueberry this time :)

Kathryn took me to the grocery store and we saw some octopus... it's popular in Japan!

Saturday night we went to an Izakiah (I don't think that's how you spell it...ha.) But basically it's a restaurant/bar where you can get all you can drink for 1000 yen (like $12). It was great!

Breakfast with Kathryn!

Kathryn and I found these craft chiles at a store in Nara and thought "we can make these", so we did. I can't wait to try them on my own! Although it's way more fun to craft with Kathryn.

My last dinner...it was Shabu-Shabu. All you can eat where you dip thin pieces of beef and pork in to boiling broth. You can add veggies and pasta too! So tasty!

Saki! We even warmed it up, I thought it was great!

I miss you guys!

Peace. Goodbye Japan. Thanks for showing me a good time.

japan: part five, tokyo round two!

After arriving back in Tokyo via the night bus...we spent most of the day exploring the city now that I wasn't running on zero hours of sleep!

A sleepy picture of my seat/bed on the night bus...

Oh the pink bus...

I forget exactly whats in these barrels, but maybe saki?

This is a fortune that people can buy at the temples or shrines, I see as kind of like a "prayer request" This one made me laugh and it's for all my veggie friends!

The well in Yo-yogi park, in the middle of Tokyo!

I forget the name of this area of Tokyo, but we did some shopping here!

Kathryn and Ryan said they had the best burger at this one place in Toyko, so we went! It was the only non traditional Japanese food we had the whole trip!

Part of the skyline of Tokyo.

My favorite picture of the trip :)

Yep, they're getting married :)

I love fountians!

Ice cream, day #4, sweet potatoe! I was waiting all week to try it and finally got to. The only problem was, they lady running the shop, wouldn't let us take our ice cream and walk around. So we had to stand in the little shop and eat it! But we met a German guy and his Japanese friend!

Ryan, staring off into space...ha.

Mmmmm...ramen. I think this is my favorite Japanese food!

We had Ramen for dinner back in Kathryn and Ryan's home town, Oyama.

japan: part four, oh the deer.

Nara and the deer! Our next full day we went to a city called Nara and they are known for having deer that are not afraid of humans, in fact you can go right up them and pet them!

Morning tea before we checked out of the hotel.

Oh bus #5.

A view from the train to Nara.

Yes, those are deer in the median...

Ryan and a deer!!

The mangy deer!

My BFF, a self pic with the mangy deer!

A 5 tier pagoda.

Bambi! Awww, so cute.

Now, Kathryn did NOT enjoy the deer. Even when I tried to convince her just touch the deer, she still couldn't do it. I think they liked her though....ha.

The temple with a HUGE buddha.

The gigantic buddha...wow.

Round about sushi! It was so fun, we just would grab the plate we wanted and at the end we just paid for the sushi we had grabbed from the conveyer belt.

Look! I'm gonna try squid! I mean, it's Japan, right?!

" Kathryn, I really don't think I can swallow this...." "You gotta do it Alisha"

Ryan and the mascot of Nara...ha!

At the train station before taking the night bus back to Tyoko.

Ice cream, day #3

After this we got on the night bus for the second time...this time when I got off for the bathroom at a rest stop, I wasn't sure which was the men and women's room because I couldn't read the Japanese and there were no pictures! HA!