it's official

...I am a 1.0 perm teacher starting in September at my fab school in Port Credit - Peel!!! I will be teaching grade 2/3 in the morning and 3 in the afternoon!! (FI school so teaching the english side) holla!!

vogue

over the march break I bought myself another piece of art (or what i think is art) for my future place (left one), and for easter my parents surprised me with a matching piece. So this weekend with another set of hands, I finally placed the 2 vogue shots over my bed. J'adore!
ps. my knee is officially grinding...and I woke up this morning limping! I hate complaining, but I have just recently understood what it means to have an injury that stops you in your tracks. I am going stir crazy!! Thursday I hope the sports doc gives me a miracle cure...because whether it pains me beyond, I will run Boston!

rain rain go away

...something I am definitely trying to live by at the moment! The rain is definitely a reflection of how I am feeling. boo hoo :( This past easter weekend was fabulous...was wined and dined by CC at Tappo in the distillery as a celebration dinner (will officially share at a later date - regards to teaching), sang Happy 1st Birthday to cousin Emily Lovell (Elecia's little one), texted my sister to also wish her a dreams come true 32nd Birthday (she was in the Bahamas living it up), spent some time on a couple yorkville patios, had a fantastic din and bonfire experience at the Tyrrell's...where Kim asked me to be in her wedding!! holla!! Sooo honoured!!, also capped the night off by playing some charades (ha!), to then end the weekend with a quiet Easter dinner Sunday night, followed by a lazy Monday morning watching Sherlock Holmes in bed! Great weekend! Ok soo here's where it goes down hill ... so Monday afternoon I suit up for one of my last long runs (knowing my once always healthy knee decided to pull a fast one on me at ATB race), and realize at the 8km mark that the shooting pains in my knee and foot are causing me to want to cry...so I decide I would rather save my knee this time and walk it in...a nice looooong walk it was. argh!! Even walking was painful! So I then after serious frustration take myself to the doctors - get a dose of medication, a slip to get xrays, and a recommendation to see a sports doctor. I am in the process of all this at the moment, and while I am going through this I have come down with either a butt kicking cold or serious flu where my eyes are burning and my throat feels as if I have shards of glass stuck to it! ahhhhhh!!! And luck would have it BOSTON IS NEXT WEEKEND!!! sooo as you can see I am trying to hold onto the memories of the weekend, but i'm finding it a weeee bit tough to smile through the rain!
I will run Boston with a smile on my face, I will run Boston with a smile on my face, I will run Boston with a smile on my face....here's to wishes coming true!

to spelt or not to spelt

Soo I've always had this fascination about why people choose to eat something over another. Thursday night I went out with a friend to have some great food at Pizzeria Libretto on Ossington...my friend proceeded to tell me that she loves going to Libretto because you can have spelt pizza. Spelt eh? I asked. I've of course heard of it, but was never one to ask about the benefits and why choose spelt over wheat...always just thought it was for carb conscious people. Also took a trip today to Wholefoods and saw again rows and rows of spelt made food. So here goes: Spelt is an ancient grain that was grown in Ancient Egypt more than nine thousand years ago.

Benefits:

• Spelt contains large amounts of the anti carcinoma B17, which helps the body fight against cancer.
• Spelt is easily digested. Being highly water-soluble spelt nutrients are made available to us with a minimum of digestive work. This allows our body cells to be quickly nourished and strengthened for optimum performance. Wheat in comparison is difficult to digest and can cause many to feel bloated.
• Spelt contains special carbohydrates which play a decisive role in stimulating the bodies immune system. As a result spelt is now being used in the treatment of chronic infections including herpes and aids.
• Spelt is very high in crude fibre, much higher than wheat, and is responsible for a clean and healthy digestive tract.
• In wheat the vital nutrients are contained in the bran and wheat germ which are usually removed in the production of flour. In spelt these vital nutrients are contained throughout the grain and are not lost in the milling process.
• Spelt is a low allergy grain and can make a good replacement for wheat.

Your Destiny is Now

The train seemed to move endlessly toward the horizon as I drove along beside it. To me, trains symbolize destiny. For a long time, the concept of destiny confused me. I wondered how to find my destiny. I hoped I had one. I wondered what it would feel like when I got there. But destiny doesn't bewilder me anymore. I enjoy seeing trains.
Destiny isn't some distant place, or a peak of fame and fortune. Destiny isn't one moment in our lives, one time when we shine for all the world to see. Those moments are nice, if they come. But there's more to destiny than that.
Destiny is now. Destiny is each moment of our lives, shining through, linking together, like the endless cars on the train. Destiny means embracing each moment, being present for it, cherishing it because it is our now. Whether it holds exhilaration, discovery, sadness, tough decisions, confusion, or tender love, each moment is our destiny. These moments of destiny link together in an endless chain to become our lives.
Let yourself live and be in each moment,
with each person, learning each lesson along the way.
Destiny isn't someplace we go.
Destiny is where we are.
~ Journey to the Heart
ps. Happy Birthday to Nicole and Hennum (aka Mommy Christina Biles!). Enjoy a night of celebrations and a year of dreams come true!
pps. Tackling a 30k race tomorrow - ATB - Around the Bay here I come!

compliments of...

...Ving-nation
Sarah hope you don't mind?!? I just love this quote by bobby m! ps. last entry of the day...eyes are going crosseyed!

Liberty of London

Liberty of London at Target
Well back from reality...and of course a little mesmerized by how quickly a week can go by! I love being in Florida...it sure is the life! As Jodie, Mitchell and I were arriving home we couldn't help but do the ol 'why do we live here again'?!? C'est la vie! Anywho a very nice week away...when can I go again?
Sooo while I was visiting the 365 fashion rehab website...that is supose to steer one clear of shopping...I found and find, they seem to do the opposite! Everytime I see something that is their "lust have" of the week, I am always like...oooh ya I like that too! Exhibit A: Liberty of London. Never even heard of that company (not sure if that's shocking), but when I saw that the girls were agonizing over not being able to go to Target to get an item or two, I was like, well I am in the States for the week, and am close to 1 of 3 Targets (yes I have them mapped)....and have fallen off the "I won't shop till Boston" (kind of)...so us gals made our way to Tar-get to check out the latest fashion label creating affordable digs for us poor folk. Annnd of course I seemed to find a couple must haves - cute plates, and a fruit/treat displayer! Would have purchased a tea pot and some bowls, but they were breakable, so no can do. Alright back to being shop-free until Boston ;) but those that are going cross border make a stop by and get a flowery gem!

yoga thoughts

From BV Yoga March newsletter:
Complacency
By Kiersten Mooney
For most of us, to jar us out of our complacency, we need a disturbance to our usual way of being. While sometimes our greatest personal growth occurs when we have experienced a crisis and life has brought us to our knees, profound growth also occurs through the practice of being conscious. The ancient teachings of yoga are all about consciousness. The more present, open, aware and conscious we are, the less we become shaken by a crisis.
When we are aware things don't rattle us as much. When we are conscious, the stuff we once could not see is now is in our peripheral vision so it doesn't blind side us. Instead of walking around and being attached to the chaos we have created in our own minds we are able to pull back like a telescope and see ourselves and witness our lives from a greater perspective.
When you can look out and see all things in your life as objects - your emotions, thoughts, experiences - and recognize that they are not who you are but objects in which you, the subject, can observe, you take your seat of consciousness. Once you detach and awaken to this, the external objects in your life no longer have a death grip on you because you see it as outside of your self not as part of who you are. If you can see an object, it isn't who you are.
Many people believe that they are their experiences. Although our experiences may contributed to our beliefs and enriched our life, they are not who you are, nor are your beliefs. The reality is many of us have had the same experiences in life, yet we act and perceive that same experience differently and walk away very different people. You are beyond the thoughts, feelings, beliefs and even experiences in your life.
When you take the seat of consciousness you are the witness, the ultimate observer of it all, you are the silent one who hears yourself talking to yourself. You have to be objective enough to pull back into your self to truly open up to this ultimate freedom. This is when life gets fun! You can better see what is coming your way without being hit over the head with a brick. The seat of consciousness is compassionately steadfast, not reacting just continually witnessing. Then from your inner most essence you have the space to choose how you want to respond to any given circumstance or feeling.
From this place you have the capacity to really create what it is you want in your life and to live your life fully without getting caught up in the mental movie making of your mind. You are no longer a staring character in your play but the director. This is where you make life happen, this is where you become open to the limitless possibilities and miracles the universe has available to you. Wayne Dyer says "you don't get what you want, you get what you are". Create the life that you want by being it!

Dr. Suess cares

Every year since I heard Vera Wang had started her simply Vera line at Kohls I keep meaning to go in and check it out...but never quite make it in. I then just recently found out that Lauren Conrad now also has an affordable line also at Kohls...so I thought alright this is the year. So us Bryce gals and Mitchell made our way to what we thought was going to be the next store on our list to visit...and we were da da da dum...very disappointed! Think Walmart meets Kmart...I'm just saying. Vera and LC could have done much better...why not Target? Oh well from our visit we did walk out with 4 fabulous Dr. Seuss hard cover books and stuffed animals to match all for $5 each. So for all you teachers, moms, dads, grandparents, friends, etc, I do recommend hitting up Kohls to take advantage of donating to Kohls Cares (however the display is at the cash register so you don't even need to walk through the store). Alright beach day (our first one)
ps. 1 MORE MONTH UNTIL THE BOSTON MARATHON! oh mon dieu!
pps. Happy 25th Birthday Kevin! (birthday on St. Patty's day...of course! ha!)

yoga in florida

This morning my mom and I made our way to Bala Vinyasa Yoga...a studio that practices Baptiste Power yoga which was recommended to us by Kinndli from Power Yoga Canada in Mississauga. What a great class it was this morning...I didn't really have any expectations but went in with an open mind, and ended up being worked to the limit. Loved it! The heat wasnt even turned on and we all walked out drenched! good times! Anywho as Naples is turning out to be an extension of Canada I thought I would send out an FYI to all of youze who practice yoga and who finds themselves visitors or residents of Naples. Kirsten, the owner, was the instructor this morning, and she was fabulous. Check out: BV Yoga

here in paradise

Finally we have made it here! Took us exactly 24 hours to set foot in the Ft. Meyers airport (12 hours in Pearson and another 12 hours of sleeping on Newark benches and flying), but we are here (Jodie, Mitchell and I)...of course we are luggage-less...yess that's right, we arrived yesterday at noon and our bags were no where to be found AND of course we are still waiting (another 24 hours later)! Thank goodness my mom is the same size as us and has great taste....and of course I much prefer her Sisley cream and top notch makeup (so maybe this is a good thing) over mine...but I am craving my staple summer clothes, bathing suit and running shoes! Oh well c'est la vie...especially for me - I seem to always have the nightmare travelling stories...it's actually becoming a running joke :(

Anywho so happy to be back in Florida, I would do it all over again if it meant i could be here more often...I am meant to live in warm climates...I feel more like myself.

To all the teachers out there hope you're having a great March break so far! Much deserved! Off to be out in the sun!