{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