{Pumpkin Pancakes & Yoga}

Hello and how are you on this FINE FRIDAY!
The weather has been just perfect here in Indiana....somebody please pinch me! I don't think we've ever had a stretch of weather like this for this many days in a row!! I am in bliss.

Thank goodness for the lovely weather....because work has been beyond stressful! {new readers...i'm a special education teacher}
It's one of those years where I am just dreaming of winter break and I DON'T even like winter!
Soooo....I have been more than thankful to step outside of work and just BREATH:)

Because of all of my stress I have been making some pretty bad food choices.

Stress=naughty foods for me:(

But recently...I sat down and had a real heart to heart with myself.

And I told myself that proper nutrition is what is going to make me feel better in the long run....

and I can't be of help to anyone else if I am not properly fueled myself!

Soooo...I decided that I would AT LEAST make sure I start the day with a super healthy power packed breakfast!

I have been making a variation on these sweet little flap jacks every morning!
They seriously rock my face off.....in a Def Leppard sort of way:):)  { note: I LOVE Def Leppard if you didn't know}

The ingrediants are simple enough....

Honestly...I don't measure everything out...I just add things until they have the consistency ... of well....pancakes:):):)
and if you got a different kind of protein powder...they would be vegan! If your interested:):) Oh and except for the honey I put on top.

Anywho...give them a whirl and let me know what you think!

You know what else usually goes when I get super stressed.....you got it..... my fitness!

Why is it that we tend to give up the two most important things {nutrition & fitness} that help fight stress when we are stressed!?!?!?!?

Well as part of my little talk with myself...I also told myself that I am not going to slack on my fitness!

Now granted...I am sooooo tired when I get home that I just want to curl up into a ball on the couch and sleep....but no sir! That's not what I am going to do!

But I do have to admit that I do start to tone it down a bit....

I walk when I feel that I am too tired to run and I slow my riding speed down a bit and just enjoy the beauty of the earth.

I start to turn my fitness into a time to breath and relax rather than a time where I time myself to see how fast or far I can run, ride or do whatever!

Part of all of that is ....

I start doing YOGA a lot more!

I love yoga so much...even though I am just not that good at it!

I find that it really helps me to tune into my body and just relax.

We all know the damage that chronic stress can do to the body!

I have heard we are getting a new yoga studio in our area and I can't wait until it opens!!!!! But for right now I just make up little routines that I can do outside under the beauty of the sunlight:):)

I often dream of pursuing a certificate to teach yoga...not that I ever would....but I just want to learn more about it and get deeper into it:):):)

Fitness is a true journey...it's a lifetime of how you treat your body! It's mind...body...spirit balance!

That's why I like to try so many different things when it comes to fitness.

Balance....if all I ever did was train for half marathons or long bike rides...I think it would bore me to tears! Yoga...riding..walking in the woods...weight lifting...running...drinking wine....wait, does that count as fitness!!?!?! heehee...just wanted to see if you were paying attention! I like to do it all and I think it's all so very important.

Anywho...i've been really trying to acheive this pose and finally did it!

If there are any serious yogis out there reading this...they are probably laughing...

but that's OK!

I am proud of my tiny accomplishment:)

And notice the girls in each photo...they just ALWAYS have to be involved!

Ruby especially!

She's everywhere I go:):)

Lucky for her I think she is ofically out of her chewing stage!!

Yipppee!!!!!

What I forgot to tell you is that...before I did my yoga I took the girls on a nice 3 mile walk! We had a great time...they sniffed mailboxes and I looked at the beauty of the changing leaves!

I think you can tell....we were all happy:):):)

Well....you should know by now that I hardly do anything without a nice glass of vino in hand:):):)

Hope you have a super fabulous weekend.

Get out there and do something that makes you happy!!!!

And spend some time soaking up the beauty that nature offers us! :):)

Talk to you later!

"When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice."
Cherokee Expression

{rush...rush..rush}

Do you ever feel like all you do is rush...rush...rush

I especially feel this way during the holiday season and usually I end up with a real mess in my stomach. That's right were my stress goes...my stomach, oh, and my shoulders.

Anywho...this time of the year really does it for me. Why does it have to be such a short season. I mean really how MUCH can one cram into 3-4 weeks?!?!

I have really been thinking about this and have decided to be more "present" & "aware" in my life.....you know...really appreciate what each day has to offer. Even when I am CRAMMING way too much into a day.

I know, for me, I am a way over-doer kind of person. I often put way too much stress on myself...

Sometimes I just want to SLOWWWWW down and BREATHE...

Not feel bad that I didn't go to the gym and burn X amount of calories, or make those pillows I had in mind or walk the dogs or on and on....

This really is the time of the year to be gentle with yourself and allow things to just be....

I NEED to learn to be OK with this. I think we could ALL learn to be more gentle with ourselves.

So here's my PLAN to just relax and enjoy each day:)

Have dinner at least 3x a week at the dining room table listening to Pandora and enjoying some vino.I know I always feel relaxed when I enjoy a nice meal in there.....versus....watching tv while eating:)

Do MORE yoga....starting with this little 20 minute routine in the am before work:)

Be ok...that when friends come over...things MAY not be perfectly clean...they like me and not my house, right?!?!?

Allow myself to miss the gym here and there and NOT feel bad about it! I never let become a habit..so I think I am ok to miss once in awhile!

Keep a journal and write down one thing I am proud of and one thing I am thankful for, each day.

Ok...I think that's a pretty good start!! Hopefully...I can relax, breath and just enjoy the season! Life is SHORT and we only get one shot at it....so I think it's important to at least TRY and enjoy what each day has to offer!! Even during the busiest season of the year:)

How do you slow down when life starts getting crazy?!?!?

"If you don't think everyday is a great day try going without one." Jim Evans

{wishful Wednesday}

It's definitely one of those weeks were I keep thinking.....WHEN WILL IT BE FRIDAY?!?!?

The weather was putrid, I have an annoying sinus infection, work is beyond stressful....you get the idea!! :)

Well....I decided to take matters into my own hands and try to have a somewhat relaxing day!

First...during lunch {which, amazingly, was rather quiet....I am a teacher and lunch is usually anything but quiet} I went to flickr and started a slide show of Key West sunsets....

ahhhh....pure bliss~flickr

I got to pretend for my whole lunch that I was in Key West~

Do you ever do that with flickr?!?!

Then I came home and do what I love to do to relax~

Light a fire, candles and do

A little yoga...

I am laughing because my husband thinks I am nuts!! First, I am doing yoga and then because I am asking him to take pictures of me doing yoga:)

I think you can see that I am not really all that flexible.....but I try:)and then.....here is how I REALLY practice yoga~with Ruby constantly licking me!!

What I love about yoga...is really focusing on my breathing and getting my rate to slow WAY DOWN~

I don't know if you can really see it...but my heart rate is 57!!! Now that is a BIG difference from where I keep it when I run, which is around 160! I just do the yoga on tv with Steve Ross...but I love it. I get totally relaxed and zen like:)

After yoga I pour a nice glass of Cabernet and sit by the fire~

Now I try to keep it real here at simpledaisy...but I have to admit that the above photo is a re-take from the one below....where I saw a ginormous zit on my nose!! I ran and powdered my nose for the re-take! Seriously...I am pushing 35 and clearly should be finished with zits:)Owell...here it is in all it's RED glory:)

Lastly, by now you know I love to cook and especially love to make something yummy and comforting when I am all stressed out!

So I whipped up some vegan Cream of Mushroom soup from scratch~

I also made some pesto whole wheat "crackers" from some pizza dough I had in the freezer. Sometimes I make up pizza dough and then freeze it for times like this!

Anywho...since it's not Fresh Friday I won't bore you with the recipe with this .... but if you're interested in how I made it....give me an e-mail!! But remember....I RARELY use recipes and so...I just cooked what I thought would be yummy in mushroom soup and then threw it in the blender!!

Well happy Wednesday and remember....when you're all stressed out...try and take a minute to do something that will make you happy:)

"Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person's physical, emotional, and mental states." ~ Carol Welch