Today I’m thankful for my CAMERA!! I’ve been having so much fun with it! Today I wasn’t feeling well AT ALL but I had solo Lu duty after work because Shaun had volleyball.  Rather than sit inside and watch Super Why! I decided to let Lu play outside while I snapped some pictures.

I wish this was in focus but I still love it!

Model Lu!

What does it all mean?!?!

Airplane!

Hey Mama!

I did take some non Lu shots:

Dang Power Lines!

Spring is coming!!!!!!!!!!!

All pictures were done in M! Yay me!

It’s been cloudy and grey in Boise the last few days.  Actually today there are blue skies but Lucy is at daycare so no pictures yet!

Anyway to take pictures of a moving child in low light (not an easy feat!) I use a higher ISO (my cameras highest is 1600 and I normally use 200) and then a wider aperture (F4.5 on my camera) so that my shutter speed is faster (thanks for the tips Laura!). 

I think my results were pretty good!

The birdie boo!

And I took this one, for fun.

A group of friends and I are reading the book Understanding Exposure to better our photography skills.  I read the first chapter on Saturday night and was excited to play around yesterday.  All of these pictures were taking on M so I figured out the aperture and shutter speed.  It’s been so long since I used a manual camera that I had forgotten how to use the light meter-der!  Now it’s not so hard to take pictures on M!

White Balance:

“Shade”

“Tungsten”

“Cloudy”

“Cloudy” with a different set-up

I was playing with my shutter speed here and thought that this was a pretty picture.

Not the best picture by any means, but I love Lu’s face.

We’re in the thick of potty training!

Lu’s lunch.

Lu’s lunch companions (I wish Mo (the doll with red hair) was in better focus).

Tofu! (Love this picture!)

Cauliflower (playing with the focus):

This is fun!!!

I didn’t forget last week, I was just stuck in Richmond due to a huge hail and rain storm.  I was supposed to get home last Thursday but instead I got to spend another night with Connie*, this time at the Chicago Airport. Last week I was going to be thankful to be home and in my bed, but that didn’t happen, so I was actually thankful for my American Express Corporate card

This week? I’m thankful for BIG HUGS.

Watch. You’ll smile. Promise.

*Anyone get the Mad Men reference? LOVE that show.

Today is a BIG one.  Today (and everyday) I’m thankful for BIKRAM YOGA! I finished my 60 in 60 today. Sixty classes in sixty days.  It was amazing and I had my best class yet.

Yesterday I went out and bought my “reward” which is a new (and my first) Lululemon outfit.  I got groove shorts and a pink top:

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I also got a new fittoes pink towel

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It was really fun to indulge and reward myself for my hard work .

I started class by going in early to meditate in the room.  I wanted to make sure my mind was calm so that I could have a really good class. At first, I was so excited that my mind wouldn’t calm down but eventually it did.

Class started and I was extremely focused and getting really deep into postures.  I think my back bend was the deepest I’ve ever done!

Every posture was going well and I was so happy.  Yesterday, during Standing Bow Pulling Pose I got a really bad cramp in my right calf and it didn’t go away until late last night.  I was unable to do some of my favorite postures yesterday because of the cramp so I was really worried that it would happen again today.  I made sure to hydrate and when I would feel my right calf start to tense up, I would imagine that I was breathing right to that area.  It worked! I even briefly touched my head to my knee in Standing Head to Knee (my ability NOT to is all in my head-I can totally do this but I always fall out the minute I think “I CAN’T do this”).

We get to the floor series and I’m just so happy.  During the last belly down savasana, Courtney, the teacher asked me if I had gotten a new costume.  I answered “yes.” She asked if it was a reward for something. I said, “yes”. She then told the class that I had completed my 60 in 60 and everyone clapped.  It made me smile and reminded me why I love Bikram Yoga Boise SO MUCH. One of my teachers was practicing next to me and she gave me a little floor clap to let me know she was proud of me.

During Paschimotthanasana (Stretching Pose) I had my forehead touching my thumbs and Courtney asked me if I could do that at that beginning of my 60 day challenge and I answered “No.” Jamie, the owner of the studio, was also practicing and she said, “Chelsea has great proportions.” To which I replied, “That is the FIRST time anyone has ever said that about me.”

It’s true, my legs have always been a “hindrance.” They are incredibly short which makes cycling, running, and even swimming just a little bit harder.  With a 27 inch inseam, by body and head is longer than my legs by 4 inches.  I’ve always hated my legs but I’ve been consciously working on LOVING my legs through this journey and I was almost there.  After that comment and after thinking about it some more, I’m there.  I LOVE my legs.  Who knew? Yoga is something where my legs don’t limit me!

During our final savasana the class cheered for me again and Courtney asked what the 60 day challenge had meant to me.  I got choked up but answered: “I started the challenge with the goal of getting my pre-baby body back. Very quickly, I realized that it wasn’t about that.  It was about the peace and acceptance it brought me.” Which got some applause

Courtney then said some fabulously nice things about me including how my body has changed (it has!) and how it will continue to change.  She then dropped off a shirt, note, and a pen and I got to sign the Challenge Wall!

(Crappy phone photo warning!)

It says: What will be, will be. Remember…YOU are beautiful! ~Chelsea Titus 3.3.11

This saying came to me about 2 weeks into my 60 day challenge.  I was in the shower thinking about how skinny I could get doing Bikram.  I stopped myself and said that.  It’s been my mantra ever since.

So yes, I’m very thankful for Bikram, it has changed my life.  I love my studio and all the friends I’ve made. The instructors and all the people who take classes are so encouraging and make me happy that I’m part of such an amazing community.  I can’t wait to go to class tomorrow.

Front:
Bikram Yoga Boise
I did the Bikram Yoga Challenge
and all I got was…

Back:
A Better Body
Peace of Mind
Lower Blood Pressure
Stronger Core
6 Pack Abs
Reduced Stress
A Coconut Butt
Increased Flexibility
More Stamina
Increased Balance
Mental Clarity
…and a lot more!

60
in sixty days

Today I’m thankful for The Artist’s Way. I’m almost done with the course and it has brought so much perspective to my life.  I just finished Week 10 and it may have been the most impactful chapter that I’ve done.  My therapist was pleasantly surprised with how much I got out of this chapter.  Some gems:

“When we are clear about who we are and what we are doing, the energy flows freely and we experience no strain.” (p163)

“For some people, food is a creativity issue.  Eating sugar or fats or certain carbohydrates may leave them feeling dulled, hung over, unable to focus-blurry. They use food to block energy and change.” (p163)

“We turn to our drug of choice to block our creativity whenever we experience the anxiety of our inner emptiness.” (p165)

“When we are ogling the accomplishments of others, we take our eye away from our own through line.” (p172)

“…We cannot afford to think about who is getting ahead of us and how they don’t deserve it. The desire to be better than can choke off the simple desire to be.” (p173)

“The need to win-now!-is a need to win approval from others. As an antidote, we must learn to approve of ourselves.” (p175)

I’ve realized that sugar is my drug.  Doing some introspection and looking to where I’ve felt the best about what I’m putting into my body and how I feel about my body and life was when I was not eating sugar.  Ever since I made the decision to eat sugar in “moderation” I have felt out of control about food-like an addict.  I haven’t been eating sugar now since February 5th except for 1 day a week where I don’t have any restrictions on what I eat.  I feel like a different person!  The difference in me is AMAZING.  My therapist was worried about that one day a week and thought that I may crave sugar after that day.  I’ve found the exact opposite to be true. It makes me feel awful and so I stop eating it and want nothing to do with it. Last Friday I had some fries (high carb=sugar) and they made me feel ill so I threw them away halfway though.  Who is this person?!?!?! I’m not ravenous all day anymore and I feel good about how I’m fueling my body so yay!

My other vice was my Droid and we all know what I did about that .

So thank you to The Artist’s Way for helping me to see these things and thank you to ME for putting in the work

I’ve been trying really hard to be mindful in everything that I do.  Sometimes I fail but most of the time lately I’ve succeeded at being mindful. Getting rid of my Droid was a further pursuit in my mindfulness. I had gotten into a very bad habit of looking at my phone to just pass the time.  Usually I let too much time pass and I wasn’t getting the things I wanted done done. On Thursday, I traded in my Droid for an LG Cosmos…

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…and I couldn’t be happier. I’m no longer attached to my phone and I fell less “connected” to my virtual world but much more connected to my real world.  It has also forced me to pick and choose what I REALLY want to read and do.  If I’m going to spend computer time on something, then it really needs to be worth it. I’ve been leaving more comments on blogs that I frequent because I’m on a computer, not a phone and I’ve made the time to sit down and catch up with my friends.  I’m really glad I made the switch and it hasn’t been too terribly painful. Plus, the phone bill of $45 vs. $100 takes all the pain away!

In life I’m trying to be mindful of everything that I do. The way I treat people, how I spend my time, how I spend my money, my eating, etc.  Just yesterday I was leaving the grocery store and noticed a jar of pizza sauce in my cart that I hadn’t paid for.  My first thought was, “That’s less than $2, it’s no biggie.” Then I thought, “That’s not being mindful.” and I turned my cart around and paid the $1.27 for my pizza sauce.  The woman at customer service thanked me and said that my karma was covered for the day.  Today in yoga, my towel left a thread on the floor and I could have just left it there but I didn’t, I picked it up and I threw it away.

I’d say the mindfulness is going well but as always, I struggle with my perfection complex.  If I’m not mindful, I feel awful and berate myself.  That’s not being very mindful of myself, now is it?  So, I’m working on that.  I’m a work in progress (and always will be) but I am working every day on loving myself.  By and large, I’m doing a really great job and I’m really proud of myself.

One area where I’m really trying to be mindful is my photography.  I’ve had a DSLR for a year and a half and I have never used the manual function.  I use the manual focus all the time but actually needing to adjust the aperture and all that? I’ve never used that function even though I used to take my own pictures with my Pentax SLR and develop them myself.  I’ve lost that ability and it makes me sad.  SO! This weekend, I turned my camera to M and took some pictures of Shaun and Lu sledding.

They’re not perfect but I think they’re pretty awesome .

I’m thankful for focus.  I’m making a big leap today-I’m going to Verizon to get a Non-Smart Phone to unplug a bit.  I’m tired of being so connected and I’m tired of paying a huge phone bill every month.  I find that it’s hard to put my phone down even when I say I am going to.  The pull of the phone is too great so I’m getting rid of it.

Wish me luck!

Today I’m thankful for my Mom friends that I met because of Lucy.  I talk to some of them every day and I don’t know what I would do without them.  They help keep me sane.

I was in Seattle on business on Thursday and didn’t get a chance to post.  Since getting home I had work explode, I got puked on by a 2 year old that wasn’t Lu (good thing I love this little 2 year old with all my heart), and thought Lu had pneumonia but it ended up being “just” a bad cold and ear infection. It’s been a crazy week!

What’s important to me though, is that every Thursday I stop and think, and know what I am thankful for.  The truth is that I’m thankful for so many things in my life that this isn’t hard but I still think it’s a good exercise and it’s good to be mindful of what I am truly thankful for.

This week?

I’m thankful for my BFF Elaina.

(Warning-crappy cell phone photos ahead!)

We used to see each other every.single.day.  We sat right across from each other at work and talked all day long-no joke.  Either with words or with IMs.  Now that we’ve both moved (we actually both moved from the Bay Area within 2 weeks of each other) we hardly ever get to see each other.  We do IM, video chat, email, and text message but NOT ENOUGH!  The last time I saw her in person was SEPTEMBER!  Thankfully we had a team offsite in Seattle this week and we got to see each other.  It still wasn’t enough time but it was great to see her.

Shaun, Lu, and I NEED to make the drive up to see her and Richard and Brea (their sulky dog that I used to see everyday). We have to wait until the snow has melted some but then it’s ON LIKE DONKEY KONG!!!!

It’s just nice having someone that gets you and that you can be silent with.  Or someone that you each talk over the other and with each other and come to the same conclusion.  Or come to different conclusions but see why they came to the conclusion they came to.  She gets me and accepts me for who I am.  I am extremely thankful for that.  I miss her already.