Daily weigh in?

No, I'm not part of The Biggest Loser contest. I just happen to be semi-living with my sis-in-law and her BF. And a scale. It's a beautiful, modern, digital contraption that pleads with me. No. Begs me. To just step on it. Just once. Or every time I walk into the bathroom. So I've become obsessed with weighing myself because it's either that or hold it until I can resist the urge to not weigh myself (or wet myself).

At first I ignored this guy. I've never been one to watch the number. Instead, I live by the rule that if I feel good both inside and out, get good nutrition, and exercise, why should that number matter? It shouldn't run my life. But this guy persisted. And tripped me. I literally hit the wall one morning while dressing because I took a step too far back. "You will step on me!" So I relented. And stepped on the damn thing. And have far too often since.

I've become fascinated to watch the numbers change from in the morning (weigh in number one), perhaps after yoga (weigh in number two), after eating (weight in number three), and just before going to bed (weigh in number four). To the scale: I love you. You serve a maddening duty of dishing out both depressing and good news. But please, please, please don't make me want to buy one of your friends. My life and my new house don't need your ruthless numbers.

Heart these shoes

Don't they make your heart happy? And only $20!

DIYs when you're snowed in

Or when your iced in. And right now, it's exactly that. It days like this that that want-my-new-house-already itch drives me up the wall's of my sis-in-law and BF's apartment. Because days like this are meant for crafting, and I left the parental unit in law's without thinking to grab my bags of knitting for this very occasion. Instead, I give you my list of crafts I'd be doing if I were already in casa de TVFMP (the view from my pencil). Maybe you'll find inspiration here too!

1. Terry cloth Caddy
2. No-Knit Textured Throw and Patterned Pillows
3. Envelope Accordion Book
4. Lavender Eye Pillows
5. Napkin-folded Pillowcases
6. Oilcloth Lunchbag
7. Hanging Bubbly Ball Decorations
8. Eggshell Flower Pots

Close to close

Our projected close date is April 1. Yes, I recognize the irony that that's April Fool's Day. I'm trying not to dwell on it, because that close actually works well for me work-wise. I ship my April issue on March 31st. And almost like the stars are aligned, April will be magazine ship-free. Do a little dance here because I'm going take some days off and drink in my gorgeous new home. My first home. I'm going to roam the rooms. Run my hands over the [sigh] island and white cabinets. Turn on my fireplace. Maybe do some yoga on my hardwood floors. Practice pulling in and out of my garage. Licking my lips in sweet anticipation.

Dry wall and siding go up this week.

My house bones

As promised, here are our house pictures. Or rather its bones. It's hard to imagine that this goes from being a construction of two by fours, pipes, and cement to a home that's not only beautiful but clean. I never in my life imagined that the build process is so messy. But I'm sure Michelangelo didn't break out the dustbuster while he worked either. Today during our walkthrough with the foreman, we went over our punch sheet and he explain what each of the juncture boxes, pipes, and different wiring that we were seeing was. And when he'd ask if we knew what certain things were, I didn't feign intelligence. What would it get me as a new homeowner? He was kind enough to explain the plumbing piping that's now being used instead of copper, something about our heater that I don't remember, and some other things. I couldn't help notice that he often would look at Jonathan when he talked. If he only knew that we do things pretty much 50/50. I'll be right there maintaining my home along side him.

We also got to drop in on another home that's the same model as ours just to refresh our memory as to what exactly it's all going to look like. Afterall, we haven't seen the product since we walked through the first home that made us sign a contract that day. It wasn't a model home, so there wasn't a chance for us to see it all again. I didn't take pictures because a)it wasn't my home, so I felt for sure that had to be something illegal about posting pictures of another person's home...even if they haven't taken custody, and b)I want to make you wait for the big reveal. Call me evil.

And because my sister is full of great ideas, including a creating a picture diary of our first home as it goes through the build process, I give you my house bones. Enjoy the skeleton!


The view from the front door in the foyer, looking back into the great room, dining room, and kitchen. The structure in the back is the makings of [cue dramatic music] a kitchen island.


The view from the kitchen, standing by the island, looking back into the dining room, great room, and foyer. The bedrooms and bathroom (two) are all on the right. I wonder if it could be considered a shotgun-style home.


Looking into the foyer at the front door. The stairwell on the right leads down into the basement. Not pictured is a coat closet on the right as well.


The view from the fireplace. Looking at a bathroom, linen closet, and two bedrooms.


The fireplace. [Swoon]


The island up close, looking toward the kitchen, standing in the dining room.


Looking into the kitchen. Between the two windows will be the kitchen sink. Notice the beautiful light. Something I never had in my apartment.


In the kitchen looking toward the master bedroom. In front of the master bedroom is the kitchen pantry. We widen it from the original design and I'm in heaven.


Standing in the master bedroom, looking toward the kitchen. To the left (not pictured), is the master bathroom and walk-in closet.



In the master bedroom looking at the master bathroom. The walk-in closet is off the bathroom. Strange, but I like the extra wall space in the master.

Lessons in building a home

If I were more put together (i.e. not living on my sis-in-law and future bro-in law's couch...who btw are some of the most gracious hosts on the planet...during the week and commuting an hour to get to the parental unit in laws on the weekends to squeeze in face time with my husband), there would be a picture of my house in this post. The house that's the cause for all this life upheaval. But, of course, I packed my digital camera someplace...special. So special and so intelligent of me that I can't find it. So much for organized packing.

Back to that dream house. We went on a little walk-through today to go over the most recent inspection that our inspector turned in. His list made us a little faint and start thinking things like, "What the hell do we think were doing building a new home?" or "Why are we doing this?" But after meeting with our foreman, we discovered that our inspector had actually gotten in a little too early and most "problems" were just things that had already been in process. Whew. Because we know nothing about homeownership. We know nothing about building a home. So when our inspector is using words like "tyvek short," "ceiling joist missing," or "window nails missing," it's enough to send you into a little tizzy and want to use some choice words and put some bad karma out in the world. All this made me realize I need to educate myself on the upcoming home maintenance, so I rushed out and bought Home Maintenance for Dummies. Feel free to leave your best tips in the comment section.

On the plus side, the impromptu walk-through of our framed up house was so exciting. Who knew I would get excited over, of all things, storage space. Pantry. Linen closet. Coat closet. Those are titillating words to a former tiny apartment renter.

We go on another walk-through on Thursday. Check back for pictures! Now to plan my next yoga class and read up on cleaning gutters.

Namaste!

Teaching yoga, week 3

If anyone asked me why I wanted to bring yoga to the workplace my answer wouldn't have anything to do with exercise and lengthening muscles. Those are just nice side benefits. My answer would be: Yoga reawakens the spirit to the breath so that we may fully appreciate and accept life as it happens. Too often we spend our time wielding swords and shields as life comes at us in one chaotic mess. Bills, work, time, errands, homework, etc. The list is endless. And I mean endless. Because long after we are gone, those things will continue to happen. But yoga allows us to put aside those things barreling toward us, either in the next minute, hour, day, week, month, year. We battle this crazy schedule. And in yoga, only the present moment counts. The breath that keeps us in this moment and moves us into the next. We don't think beyond this breath. Doing the splits, touching our toes, powering up our core can happen in any exercise routine. And if that's only what is important, then you truly lose sight of that present moment.

I've witnessed what stress (that time battle) has done to my body and my breath. And I've witnessed it in the workplace. By bringing yoga (free yoga!) to the workplace, I hope that I can allow my students a reprieve from all that. They don't have to worry about paying anything, the class being too long (it's only 45 minutes), or being too difficult (we practice a hatha flow/restorative class). They can just focus on the present moment and breathing deeply.

Chanting consciousness

One of the more rich traditions that I love is chanting. From modest Om (pronounced "Aum") at the beginning of class to the more hearty Om Shanti (Peace) to close class or my favorite, Om Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu, I find myself grounded and bringing my mental state inward for reflection. That every mantra brings me to the present moment.

But for anyone new to yoga, chanting can create an outward, self-conscious state—the complete opposite of the tone you're trying to set for class. Or you leave class feeling as if you missed out or nervous. But this is all part of a beginner's mind set. That beautiful mindset of extreme awareness where you discover your body and its abilities on all levels. So even if your Om is whisper quiet, that's where your body (and mind) are at right now. Respect that. Love that. Honor that. Ever so slowly you'll feel your mind's eye turning to gaze inward and the outer world fall softly to the background.

Teaching yoga, week 2

I'm a little behind in my posts. A move to live temporarily at home with the in laws had to happen. As did the cleaning of our apartment we had had for the past five years. All that spells no time, one tired yogi teacher, and nasty SOS film under the fingernails. Eww.

Week two went really well. I felt more calm. More "I can do this" attitude. And my yogis, I'm falling in love with my yogis. We actually don't converse much. But it's the spirit they bring with them. Their understanding that their bodies need this. That they need to get away from their desks and relax those shoulders.

If only I could bring free yoga to the masses...