Best Ottoman Award (a Story of Relaxation and CSN Stores)

On these winter days, I often get home from work feeling tired and ready to kick back. After trudging through the snow, I'm ready to get inside. It's so nice to finally warm up, get dinner started, and relax a bit. 

After figuring out what to cook and starting it up on the stove or in the oven, I'll generally make my way to the living room, and plop down on one of our comfy couches. The perfect moment just to be. Not figuring anything out or working on any projects, but just letting go and meditating for a minute.

For a while now, the Hubs and I have been longing for a way not only to sit back but also to put our feet up after a long day. And we got lucky: we scored a sweet ottoman from CSN Stores that goes perfectly in the living room! 

I cozy up and immediately feel like this:

Full relaxation achieved! Slippered feet on an ottoman. And one that's attractive and has great storage, too!

See, one of the best parts is that we can stuff our living room cuddle blankets in there, so it keeps the whole room tidier, too. Win-win.

I'd highly recommend checking out CSN Stores if you're in need of a new piece of furniture or decor. They've got a huge selection -- over 200 online stores where you can find everything from wall art to these Herman Miller chairs to cookware. In all my shopping there, I've had great turnaround times on shipping time, too.

CSN Stores, I award you the Best Ottoman Award -- a little footrest that's the perfect size for my living room, that was right in my price range (only about $40!), and that makes relaxation and a tidy apartment that much easier. (FYI it's this one, but in black.)

Now I don't even mind looking out the window to find the snow falling... because I know I can just curl up on the couch and know I am home for the night. :)

Warrior Training

  

All photos via Bikram Yoga Naperville on Facebook. 

  

"This is not baby training. This is warrior training!"

-Stuart Getz, Bikram Yoga Evanston owner, on the practice of Bikram yoga

Couldn't have said it better myself!

Yesterday's class was a tough one for me, both mentally and physically. My body felt broken down, slow, heavy. My mind felt warped by negativity. It made me realize I've been putting a lot of unnecessary pressure on myself lately.

Time to lighten up: body, mind, heart.

As Stu said toward the second half of class, "If you're having a tough class, cut the $hit! Let go. Make the floor series easy."

Amazing what a difference that can make. You just let go and suddenly the world is yours. If you decide to make a posture easy, it becomes easy.

It was also fun to have Rich in class. His first Bikram experience! He gave it two thumbs up, and said it was a great workout, killer on the shoulders. He was doing his warrior thing. Stay tuned; more bio on Rich as a sponsored yogi to come soon.

Hope you're all having a lovely start to the week.

Focus Forward Friday: Do Nothing

Photo by Jonas Peterson, one of my favorite wedding photographers.

Focus Forward Friday: 

A weekly ritual for deepening your practice.

Today's focus: sit still. Can you slow down for a full two minutes and just breathe? I just stumbled upon this amazing site and I am entranced by it. Try taking a break in the middle of your day -- whether you're at the office working, about to start your car and drive somewhere, shopping at the grocery store, or just relaxing at home.

Two minutes of silence, stillness and meditation can do wonders!

Gratefulness for Yoga, Massage & Good Friendship

I had to share this note from ThxThxThx today. Leah honestly has the best notes and such an awesome sense of humor, don't you think? I love the combo of comedy and gratitude :)

I also want to send a big thank you out to my friend Lindsay Paige of Omai Bodyworks for the best massage ever yesterday. I was only in there for 30 minutes, but Lindsay managed to work out all of my knots and kinks in my neck and shoulders. No more pain! I am so, so grateful. :)

For those of you in Evanston who need a good massage, Lindsay is your girl. She's got a ton of experience, a wonderfully chill style and comfortable studio, and some of the strongest biceps you'll find. If you'd like to contact her about her massage services, let me know and I'll put you in touch. She's located in the basement of Bikram Yoga Evanston and has super flexible hours.

Finally, I hope all of you Chicago readers are all ready for this big blizzard! Stay warm and be safe. I know I'll be drinking some extra hot chocolate and apple cider in the next few days...

SNOWPOCALYPSE, a photo via Northwestern University's Twitter account.

Everywhere Yoga

Bring your yoga anywhere. Photo via FYeahYoga.

I love that you can bring your yoga anywhere. What we learn on the mat can be used at any moment: at a friend's birthday party, when you're upset with someone you love, when you've stubbed your toe or missed the bus and need to deal.


Especially in Bikram, you learn this sort of 'everywhere yoga.'


Standing face-to-face in that heat, you've got to decide not to suffer, or chances are, you will. You must ignore the rest of the room -- the day, the thoughts, the world -- and enter your meditation.


Lately I've been so grateful that since I returned from the holidays, it feels like my yoga is back. Not only while I'm practicing (and I have had two of the most electric, ecstatic classes I've ever experienced this week), but also during the small moments of my day, I am calm, at peace, in the moment.


I am patient, even during the annoying moments or when I encounter frustrations or sadness.


I am my yogi self again, finally! Body, mind, and spirit have aligned, and it feels beyond wonderful. Have you experienced this sort of interconnected joy? Once you have, losing it can be really hard. And during our travels and my hiatus from the home studio, I felt as though I had lost that self-loving, flexible, upbeat yogi me.


Well, welcome back, yogi me!

You are your meditation, not the world around you. Photo via FYeahYoga.

Today at the studio I practiced in a class of 60 people. 60 yogis! We were sardines, piled in the room. I was in the first row, on the hot side. I was a puddle before pranayama even got going! At one point, I literally felt as though I had melted. I was a wet noodle.


It was awesome.


I was definitely the flower petal blooming! I loved the warm up series, and the way my body just moved to the words, bending and opening and relaxing into each posture. There was no resistance; I could not resist any posture because I had no energy to overcome the intense heat. (Before class, I checked the little thermometer up on the teacher's podium. It read 107! And that's before everyone was in the room, working up a sweat.) Incredible. It's amazing to me what a difference those two to three degrees make!


It was a beautiful class. Such an intense mixture of concentration from the new students, as they strained their ears to listen to the words and do the postures correctly, and joy and strength from the advanced students, as though their energy and expertise were pulling the rest of the bodies through when they thought it was time to give up.


We had a fair amount of drama in class, too. During the warm up, a new guy decided he had to leave the room. He was muttering "I'll be fine, I'll be fine" as he marched out of class, our teacher desperately asking "Where are you going?!" in between sets. He did come back, which was impressive. And the yogi by the door who didn't have enough room for Triangle finally figured out that it would help to scoot up toward the mirror.


We got through. We made it. And I was actually laughing the whole way through, marveling at what an interesting psychology experiment a yoga room really can be sometimes.


The lady next to me and I were chuckling at a few points along the way, too. Right before Full Locust she put her whole arm on my arm, locking us together as if we were one strong yogini, a force to be reckoned with.


We both smiled, dripping sweat in each other's space. And then we rocked the posture.


This was truly the bliss of Bikram: to be so close to your fellow yogis, so overwhelmingly given in to the situation, so intensely and intently present in the room. Unable to resist, and not wanting to.


To be able to smile through the second set of an exhausting posture while most other yogis are cringing and letting themselves to suffer instead of relax.


To, quite simply, be there.


To be.


I felt exhilarated. I'm going back as soon as I can.

Enjoy your yoga in the everyday. Photo via FYeahYoga.

Happy 2011!

Onwards and upwards! Photo illustration by Christopher David Ryan.

Ready for a glamorous celebration to ring in the new year?


I hope you're wearing glittery things, eating tiny fancy hors d'oeuvres, and smooching your love as the ball drops.


I will be!

Crab bruschetta? Yes please! Photo via This is Glamorous.

Gold heels? Yes please! Photo via This is Glamorous.

As you consider the year ahead, you may be setting some goals for yourself. Need fun and creative ways to view them daily and remind yourself to stick with your resolutions?

Lovely lace? Yes please!  Photo via This is Glamorous.

Creative Goal Setting:

• Chalkboard goals. Keep them visible and add to your home's decor by writing your dreams and ambitions largely.
• Goals on Twitter, Facebook and the blog. Share your ideas with your followers, and ask that they help hold you accountable.
• For the wild at heart: tattoo goals! Ever thought about getting inked in a way that's artful and reminiscent of your life goals? A friend of mine recently got a beautiful phoenix on her hip to symbolize rebirth and renewal. That's a pretty sweet way to remind yourself of your own beauty and power!
• Framed goals on your desk at work. You spend as much time there as at home, so why not post some as conversation starters / reminders? Consider getting your friends and office pals to do the same, or put together a collective goal frame or area where people can share and encourage each other to stick with their plans for success.
• Keep a notebook. Doodle your goals. Make thought bubbles and connect your ideas together. Add action steps. Be creative and have fun! Then post the pages to your fridge so you can see them regularly.
• Use online tools to track your progress. Try FutureMe and email yourself in the future. This is probably the most fun and amusing way you can kick yourself in the bum to get going and get inspired to meet your goals! Also try Goaltender via Lululemon's site, or 43Things.
• Goals as passwords. This one's pretty nerdy, but if you set your passwords for email, online banking, or other websites to reflect your goals, you'll be reminded of them on a consistent basis -- probably more often than any other way!

Bursts of gold? Yes please! Photo via This is Glamorous.

How do you set goals? What are your hopes and dreams for 2011?

Nora the Explora, Our Baby Bunny

After Thanksgiving in MN, we brought home baby Nora from our cousin's farm.

I'd like to introduce you to our newest family member, Nora! She's an adorable, fuzzy mini lop bunny who loves to play, cuddle and munch on carrots.

We welcomed Nora home after Thanksgiving weekend in the Minneapolis area. She was so calm and sweet on the car ride to Chicago; she loved just sitting on our laps and peering out the window every now and then.

Nora is adopted from our aunt and uncle's incredible farm, where one of our cousins raises and sells rabbits. Thanks, Kiera, for helping us get set up!

Yep, I'm now a happy and proud BunnyMama.

Nora is adjusting well to city life and loves exploring our apartment. We've potty trained her (for the most part) to return to her cage when she has to go, and that way we can let her roam free.

BunBun on the loose!

So far, her favorite spots seem to be underneath the bowl chair (cozy), behind the couch (super cozy), and anywhere on the black carpet in the living room (great traction).

Nora loves to get her exercise on our carpet. She goes crazy!

We recently discovered that she does tricks -- flips and jumps and spins -- whenever she's on the carpet! It's hilarious and so entertaining. Nora will literally be sitting on the floor, motionless, calm as can be, and then suddenly leap into the air and bust a move. I love it.

Hoppity hop hop.

She also loves to run about and sort of glides and slides whenever she's on the hardwood. Adorable, and always great for a laugh. I also enjoy giving her little baths in the the tub. She looks so silly when she's wet! But she smells like baby soap after, so it's worth it.

We'll miss you while we're in Puerto Rico, baby bunbun, but you will be in good hands staying with Cassi. Love you, Nora!

Bunny love.

Keep an eye out for upcoming posts about Nora and her antics, as well as input from bunny farmers and vendors who sell incredible pet products. I'll be featuring BusyBunny, GottaSpoilEm Pet Accessories, and QualityPetHammocks in the near future. 

Bunny love giveaways to come soon!

We've also got lovely giveaways from a few Etsy sellers such as HooLaLa and Marathon1981, so be sure to check those out.

Reminder: Giveaways!

I love you, Hubs! Photo by my talented cousin Joelle.


What a beautiful weekend we had!

Lovely conversation, knitting, hot cider, bunny cuddle time, a Christmas tree adventure, family gathered around the table to feast, a snowy photo shoot with the cousins, and more. It was all kinds of amazing.

I'll be posting again soon (a review of Bikram Yoga Minneapolis, photos galore, and an introduction to our bunny, Norah!)... but in the meantime, just wanted to remind you that these two giveaways will be ending soon.

Check out this post to win a water bobble, and this one for an incredible hot yoga towel.

Remember if you follow the blog or get a friend to do so, you'll double your chances of winning.

Win! Win! Win!

Black Friday Giveaway: Some Like it Hot

Happy Black Friday!

Where are you celebrating a day of shopping, relaxing and working off your feast at Bikram?

Here's what I've got to work off from yesterday. Whew!

I am so excited to take class at Bikram Yoga Minneapolis with my cousin Joelle and our friend Matt this afternoon. Woohoo first timers!

In case you're a little nervous to try the yoga today, here are some reasons why you should rest easy and get fired up for class:

• You'll sweat out all the toxins and feel lighter and tighter after class.
• You will leave the studio feeling exhilarated, rejuvenated and invigorated.
• In class you will sweat, laugh, and challenge yourself to your fullest potential.
• Reduce stress of the holidays by taking 90 minutes for yourself.
• It's never too late to try again.
• If you can, you must!

Now for the Black Friday giveaway! Today's item comes from Yoga with Style: a hilarious and high-quality hot yoga towel...

Humor in the heat, my favorite.

This Baktuli high-performance sport and yoga towel will give you power and energy in class. It's a 100% Turkish cotton terry towel featuring Microban for anti-microbial protection. This towel is super absorbent and offers great grip and durability. Machine washable. Can be used in the studio, home or at the beach. Designed in Canada; made in Turkey. A wondrous find and free to one winner (valued at over $45)!

This site's got an awesomely diverse shop with clothing, bags, blankets, gifts, jewelry, mats & more!

To win the hot towel, please:

• Leave a comment below about your craziest experience in the heat, and where you wish you could travel to this winter for some sunshine and warm weather.
• Check out the Yoga with Style blog and comment on their 12 Days of Breathing post (consider participating, too!).
• Add Yoga with Style on Facebook and Twitter.
• Enjoy the heat in class today!

Please note: domestic winners only.

Brrrrr. It's chilly out! About ten degrees here in Minnesota.

Bundle up out there! See you at the studio for some holiday heat.

Happy Turkey Day!

Hope you're enjoying the day. Lots of love from Minnesota!

More giveaways tomorrow. Leave your comments, yogis!

The bird.

The banquet.

The window.

The kid's table.

The Hubs and the Cuz.

The Aunt and the squash.

The Uncle and the carving.

The yard.

The Cuz and the bunny, Agatha.

The snow. Can you find the bunny here?

The bliss.

More tomorrow about a class at Bikram Yoga Minneapolis!