A life-altering trip

Tim Miller and the gang of teacher trainees at our graduation celebration, Moonlight Beach.

This posture makes my legs look super long! 

Esme and I on a walk through the meditation gardens, Self-Realization Center.

So it's been one week since I finished yoga teacher training in Encinitas, CA. It was quite the experience. Esme and I made so many new friends and learned more than I ever expected about Ashtanga yoga, practice and philosophy. Tim Miller is an unbelievable person and teacher who taught from his heart and made us laugh with his jokes and stories of visits to India. We cried quite a bit towards the end, knowing this journey was going to sometime have to end. But it was just beginning. I am so excited to be back home and anxious to see what unfolds in this next chapter of my life. 

I know where I've been...

but where have you been? I mean seriously... how long has it been? : ) 

I have come back to the blogging world after a 3 month hiatus! Honestly, I've missed sharing little tidbits and photos with you. The wedding was dream-like. (See our photos here!) The honeymoon, perfect. Now Eddie and I are back in the real world as a married couple and let me tell you, it's a bit different. I'm still trying to get used to the name change. I love how people at work are referring to me as 'Mrs. Cuervo'... my, how appropriate. I didn't realize how much paperwork is necessary to get your name changed. I mean seriously, it's just my identity. Anyway, I'll be glad once all that is taken care of and I can finally make it through the line at the DPS station to renew my license without my ADD kicking in or realizing I've forgotten cash or check. 

This Friday, I leave for California for two weeks. Eddie's that tired of me already. But the real reason is so that I can gain a deeper understanding of yoga and become certified to teach! I will be traveling and sharing in this wonderful adventure with my sweet friend Esme, whom I met through work and love dearly. We'll be tanning on the beaches... errr, I mean studying in Encinitas and I cannot wait to tell you all about it! Stay tuned... 

By the way, I'd like to give mad props to our ever so talented photographers, Brian and Mary-Kate. You can see for yourself just how magnificent this duo is! 

Scribbles to the Bits yo!

All the single ladies!!! Put your hands up!!

The Edster is in Chi-town this weekend with his cousins and friends and family, partaking in St. Patty's Day and bachelor party festivities! What fun! I am in SA and ready to do the same with the best gal pals a bride-to-be could ever ask for! Tonight, we're going to dinner and then around to a few hot spots to embark on fun adventures, make complete fools of ourselves and add to our amazing book of memories!! A little over 2 months to go... this is such an exciting time! Cheers!  Hmmm, now what to wear....

Mizuno love.

So it's not a wedding purchase per say, but I did make a good investment today... a brand spankin new pair of running shoes. My last pair were Mizunos and I love them, but think that I got a size too big. That, along with using them for spin class, training for half marathon(s), and various cross-training classes, has caused them to lose their support. I went into Dick's today to look around for any good deals and ended up with a newer version of what I had... wave riders (intended for those who tend to supinate as I do). They're pink and girlie, which is not usually what I go for (I already heard it from Eddie)... but they're pretty sweet. I can't wait to go for a run!! 

A productive Saturday!

My two bridesmaids/close friends/partners in crime had a full day of fun on Saturday! We started out with a fabulous brunch at Magnolia Pancake Haus... unbelievably delicious! We then headed over to Dillard's and were successful at finding flower girl dresses and bridesmaids shoes... ALL on major clearance! Afterwards, we headed to the jeweler to pick up my absolutely gorgeous wedding rings (they had designed a band to match perfectly with the engagement ring) and look at bands for Eddie. Next stop: La Cantera where we found more shoes on sale and looked around for a rehearsal/rehearsal dinner dress, but had no luck there. I ended up finding the shoes I'll wear with my gown! They were perfect and though NOT on sale, they were too cute to pass up. In this photo, we're posing with a pair we just all had to get (and will don at my bachelorette shindig!!!) You better believe we worked up an appetite, so the evening ended with wine and heavenly Fralo's!

The Spazmatics!

OH MY LORD!! If you haven't heard of this show/group let me tell you... they are SO FREAKEN GREAT! Eddie heard about the show from our friend Kent and decided to all go out to watch them last night, the ideal Valentine's date! You have to check out their website! They were hilarious, entertaining and you better believe brought back the 80's like no other group can! We sang along to every song and were dancing like nobody's business! If you have a chance to check them out, I highly recommend doing whatever it takes!! You will not be disappointed. (The lead singer's neck brace kills me!)

Waiting to exhale...

Anna and I, runner's lunge.
Jo, me and Anna, plank (I think it should be called Superman). 
Check the shoulders in this position! 
Jess let her hair down the second she realized Devon was taking pics! 
Our pilates reformer class every Wednesday morning at 7am kicks my little a$$!! The mini-movements really do help to tone and lengthen every single muscle in the body!! Our instructor over at Studio A, Devon, knows how to start our humpday out on the right note. She's fun, hilarious and gorgeous as all get out!! 

Yoga on the SA River!

Not sure what this posture's called, but it felt good! 
Eddie and our way cool tour guide attempting a tree pose! 
Onlookers probably wondering what the hell we were up to. We got many tourists snapping shots of us... too funny!! 

Our team headed downtown Saturday for yoga on the river! We loaded our mats on a barge and floated for an hour... it was honestly the most fun I've had in a while! The weather was absolutely beautiful and the Riverwalk was packed with tourists! Holding upward dog, gazing towards the sky with trees fluttering above us was surreal and memorable without a doubt! 

Half-Marathon #4 down!

We completed another half marathon this morning in lovely Austin!! It was damn cold... but so much fun! And I made a personal record of 2:03 which is pretty nice for a slow gal like myself! I had a goal time of 2hrs, but hadn't run more than 4 miles in the past two months and so I must say, I'm pretty satisfied. I love how towards the end Eddie tries to push me and say things as a coach would to a trainee like, pump your arms faster, look up not down, only four to go, etc. The more he talked to me (this goes for every run over 10 miles we've done together) the louder and meaner I got when responding. I tend to take my lack of training and physical strength out on him, which in turn gets me going and running a bit faster (except for hills... I cannot stand those little $hits). That's why I love him so much though... he gets me.  

Afterwards, we stopped to see our very good friends, Janine and Robby who moved to Austin a few months ago. I LOVE this girl... poor thing was nursing a hangover, while Robby was kind enough to cook us some hot breakfast! It was a short but oh so sweet visit!! 

Eddie's got a new ride

Eddie is a very happy guy these days.  No, not because he's marrying yours truly in just four months, but because he's the proud owner of a new retro BMX bike.  He's had the SE Racer OM Flyer for a few days now, but hasn't gotten off it which is why I'm just now posting a picture!  He's wanted this for a while and was like a kid on Christmas morning the day his friend at the bike shop called to let him know it had come in.  I would've had him get in the photo, but his hot green Christmas pajama pants would've ruined the effect.  Radness!!

Run for One Planet

Pictured: Matt Hill, Laura (my co-worker), moi and Stephanie Tait. We're attempting a 'Run for One Planet' pose! 

These peeps are the bomb!! Really. Take a look at their website and tell me they aren't fabulous!! It was so great to meet Matt & Stephanie as they made our store just one of their many pit stops along their journey across North America. I got to take them out to one of my favorite hot spots: Yoga in Motion, where Effie Wood led us all in a few downward facing dogs. The duo is running one marathon a day for an entire year in an effort to raise environmental action awareness!  

A day that will go down in history!

I have been glued to my TV all day! Good thing I'm off work! I feel so fortunate that I was able to watch the entire inauguration of Obama's presidency. I must say, I am so impressed with the new First Lady, Michelle Obama and her two daughters. They are so gracious and beautiful with an aura of class that radiates. This is a REAL family and it's so obvious just how close they are. I too, am ready for change! 

Call me Kitty!

I tell ya, I really am lucky to do this as part of my job! Our lulu women took a pole dancing class tonight and LOVED it! It was such a challenge to be honest, but so much fun! I really do have a newfound respect for this league of dancers! 

We all had pretend names and learned the basics of 'classy' pole dancing! All I know is that I will be sore as hell tomorrow... it was a workout like no other! Oh and next time you see me out, don't even bother asking me to show you some of our moves. I looked more like a wild monkey on that thing than a sexy lady dancer!! 

Welcome Zoryen James Garcia!!!

Eddie looks terrified! 

We welcomed my brother and Melina's baby into the world today!! He weighed in at 7lbs 7oz and is a whopping 19 inches long! He's absolutely adorable!! Mama is healing well and well, proud papa looked pretty darn tired! What a blessing! Funny, tomorrow is my twin nieces birthday! They are turning 7 yrs old! This week is going to be filled with birthday joy in the years to come!! 

Four days down, eight to go!

Hmm, so it's been a bit rocky I'll be honest with ya. The first day I didn't feel any different, while Eddie was pretty nauseous from the pills. Day 2 was okay. Day 3 and 4 have been the worst so far for me as I've been headachy and groggy throughout the day. Ed, on the contrary, says he's feeling more energetic and lots better than Day 1. I won't even begin to mention all the other 'side effects'! I am optimistically looking forward to tomorrow and the weekend ahead. I know I'll start to feel better soon. Oh and btw, I'm sick of almonds right now. Other than that, the healthy diet isn't so bad. We've had brown rice, black beans, grilled chicken, edamame, etc.... ya, all allowed! Tomorrow we have salmon and red potatoes on the menu!! YUM!

Refresh, Renew, Replenish, Restore

Eddie and I are about to embark on the ultimate feat after this crazy holiday season: The Wild Rose Herbal Detox. I heard about this a few months ago through the uber-healthy folks at work and decided to order it online all the way from Canada. It's a 12-day program where fortunately we have a diet to follow and can eat... It's just a matter of being more conscious of what we put into our bodies - ie. no alcohol, no breads, no sugars, no juices, no CEREAL!! That's where my cranky mood will come into play. You see, I can go without drinking a good glass of wine for a while, but when someone takes my Special K and Kashi Crunch away, they're messing with my psyche and all sorts of things begin to go outta whack. We'll see how this works. We begin on Monday so if you don't see a blog for sometime after that, begin to seriously worry. 

Day 356 - CELEBRATE!!!

So with a few (okay more than a few) days passed without blogging, I'm glad to say the final day is upon us!! This year's worth of blogging has been so much fun and I just don't wanna stop!! 

I'm so pumped about tonight... partying like it's 1999! Well, I don't plan to get to rowdy, but I do LOVE New Year's Eve. It's honestly one of my favorite holidays. I get all emotional close to the countdown and really start to think about everything that I am blessed with in my life. I truly am so lucky to have a healthy family and a close-knit group of fun-loving friends. This year flew by and I cannot wait to see what's in store in 2009!! The first few months will fly I'm sure with wedding plans and a baby!! Hah, gotcha! Not mine, my brother's first baby! We're so excited and cannot wait for his birthday in just a few days!! 

The good news is that I will keep this blog in an effort to keep family and friends posted on wedding plans, family happenings, etc. It's been way to fun to stop now! So, be safe tonight lovely S&B readers and from my heart to yours... Happy New Year!!! 

Day 351 - A lazy day after a family fun-filled Christmas!

Dad's side of the fam: moi, cousins Roxanne, Peter and Theresa and sis Karissa
Check out the my new time keeper... a sweet gift from Santa!
I love my Grandpa. You can see why!! Actually, this is what Eddie brought as a white elephant gift... recall the prizes he won from Six Flags a while back?! ha ha...
This was our 'myspace' photo!
My adorable nephew/Godson Christopher and I on Christmas even after opening up presents!! 

Day 348 - Holiday Cheer!!!

Cheeeeese!
As you can see, we did end up putting up a tree. A weenie tree. But a tree nonetheless! 
Luna wishes everyone a safe and fabulous holiday!! Can't you just feel it?! Oh and btw, there's only 152 days left before our wedding... holy CRAP!!!

Day 343 - Pain Pain Go Away...

I know looking to the Internet for a cyber-diagnosis isn't always the right thing to do, as I'll probably scare the living daylights out of myself skimming something about how my nasty shoulder pain is going to ultimately lead to death. Not good. But I'm really worried. Tuesday morning I decided to pick up some free weights after a good few months of a lifting hiatus. I guess my body went into shock after a few overhead lifts cause I felt a sharp pain right then in my left shoulder, but of course didn't think anything of it. DANGIT! Now I'm a-hurtin when I lift my arm up (a la Stalin) which affects everything I do from coming my hair to partying like a rock star. Hopefully this doesn't interfere with running. In this crazy, gloomy, foggy, winter weather... I'm about to try it out and if it fails, I just might die.