yogi: why set an intention?

if you've ever wondered why you're encouraged to set an intention or dedication at the beginning of your yoga practice, wonder no more.  watch my 2 minute video that will clear up any confusion :-)

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just breathe...

please keep in mind that i am not - by any stretch of the imagination - a certified yoga instructor : )  but, yoga is about practice, not perfection, right?

sun salutation.  feet grounded at top of your mat.  toes spread.  hands in namaste.  inhale as you raise arms.  exhale as you dive forward.  inhale to a flat back.  exhale place palms on mat.  inhale as you step back to plank pose (top of a push up).  exhale as you bend your arms (chaturanga).  inhale to upward facing dog.  exhale back to down dog.  inhale as you step your feet to your hands.  exhale fold in towards legs.  inhale to flat back.  exhale collapse.  inhale as you circle arms up to the sky.  exhale hands to namaste.

(p.s. do you like the today show playing in the background?  lol).

warning: this will make you cry (with laughter : )

i <3 marcel the shell

found this adorable/funny/laugh-out-loud video on simply sam's blog.  (thanks!)  it literally made me cry with laughter (don't tell me i didn't warn you), so naturally i had to share it with you all.  give me the next 3 minutes, and i'll fill your laugh quota for the day : )

ps. tgif!
pps. music automatically plays on my blog, so you'll have to scroll to the bottom to "pause" it before you enjoy the mini-flick..

bet you can't not smile : )

what can i say?  she's just the cutest!  and she makes me laugh (all the time).  i really can't look at her without smiling.  yes, that's right...i'm a proud (dog) mom.  my (dog) baby, olive, is just the sweetest.  craig, my fiance, and i adopted her last november, and she's been making us laugh ever since.

whenever she's outside, she just has boundless joy.  sometimes i watch her and am awed (and a little jealous) at how little it takes for her to have an absolute blast.  olive really knows how to make the most of simple pleasures.  a walk.  time spent outside.  watching a bird or squirrel.  greeting a loved one when they come home.  way to go olive.  you're totally zen and you don't even try to be.  you're really much more advanced than the rest of us : )
what you can't hear (because i dubbed over my voice with the cute music) is that during this entire video (yes, the entire 2 minutes) i'm asking olive to "roll over".  which, as you can see, she decides she'd rather not do...
here's hoping this video leaves you smiling : )

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