Yoga

So...my career is a little bit on the stressful side (understatement of the year...). Along with that I have a husband and daughter/house to take care of, five churches to work with, and the list could go on and on. On the days I get home from work at a reasonable time I am usually mentally and physically exhausted and want to shut the world out. But, I also come home a little stressed and anxious and it can take me several hours to unwind and concentrate on other things outside of the kids I had taken into custody that day, the long meetings that zapped the life out of me, or wondering if a child I had just interviewed was really indeed safe...

One thing I was taught all through undergrad and graduate school (as well as the information I gained through a 10 month long graduate research project!) was self care. Since starting in the social work field, I have been able to identify what my triggers are to stress and what specific things I can do to reduce that stress. During undergrad and graduate school/work I was able to do gymnastics and other sports to keep me in shape and stress free. Since moving out to the middle of no where without my beloved gymnastics gym readily available, I've had to get creative. Other than the last two weeks (I have been a little on the lazy/exhausted side, opting out to going to bed as soon as I'm done with dinner..) I am pretty good at keeping up with a work out routine. I have multiple work outs that I do through the week to help me stay in shape and stress free. I usually will work out for about 40-50 minutes and then end the work out with 20 minutes of yoga. Up until a few months ago I never really got into yoga. I would do it from time to time but didn't get serious about it. But let me tell you! In the last 6 months I don't know how I could keep my blood pressure down and the grey hairs away without my yoga! The best part is, is that I can do it from the convenience of my home and wear anything I like when I'm doing it :)

Below are three of the yoga videos I use. Each of the videos are approximately 20 minutes long. The thing I like about these videos is the people demonstrating the yoga give you a modified version. If you are looking for a more challenging or easier way to do the poses, they have people demonstrating this. The person leading the yoga videos has a calming voice and helps you focus on your breathing. The three videos below are from the same person who uses vinyasa yoga. Vinyasa yoga is a vigorous yoga exercise that focuses on strength and flexibility. I don't always do this lady's yoga videos but I like that she gives options on what type of yoga to use when you want to focus on specific parts of the body. I was unable to find and upload the video that I use frequently. For some reason my Blogger could not find the video! It's one of my favorites that focus on core and quads. If you are interested in doing more of this lady's videos I would suggest going to youtube and finding them.

This yoga session focuses on the arms and glutes

This yoga session focuses on deep stretching

This yoga session focuses on hamstrings and the muscles on the side of the body

If you would like more suggestions on other videos or workouts I do, just leave a message and let me know.

Neewollah

I have never been a fan of Halloween nor will I ever be (explanation for another time). However, I have to post about Neewollah (Halloween spelled backwards..on purpose!). Neewollah is a celebration/festival which our small town of Independence hosts every year. For nine days each year, this small town grows to about 60,000 people! People come from all over the state as well as different parts of the USofA to take part in the festival and carnival fun. Independence has been hosting this large festival since 1919 "as an effort to replace typical Halloween pranks with positive activities for the youth in town. The celebration was interrupted by the Great Depression and World War II, but in 1958 a group of four local businessmen revived the celebration, building the foundation for an event that brings out the best in volunteerism and community support". It's such a significant event that the schools shut down for the first day of the festival and all of the county workers (including the sheriff's office, county attorney, etc.) get a half day off just for the kiddie parade (that is one out of the three parades).

About a week and a half before Halloween each year, the carnies come rolling in with all of the rides and game booths. Tons of food and art vendors make an appearance on the main streets, parking gets very limited, and the whole town works together to clean up the streets and storefronts for the masses of people who will soon appear.

Some of the main attractions include a theater performance the first weekend of Neewollah. This year was the Young Frankenstain production which had a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday showing. The weekend usually starts off with a chili cook off in the park where they also give the first clue to the medallion scavenger hunt. This scavenger hunt is a big deal too! They give out a new clue each day and the medallion is somewhere hidden on the city property. The prize is $250 or $500 if you are wearing a specific Neewollah pin to go with the medallion. For over a week I would see people (kids, adults, professionals, etc.) looking in bushes, tress, coming into the police department, looking around city buildings, etc. Not going to lie, it was a little funny to see a business woman all dressed up looking in trees and bushes hoping to be the lucky winner!

Other attractions included three different parades: The doo dah parade--an adult parade on Thursday, a kiddie parade on Friday, and then the huge parade on Saturday morning. I so wished we could have gone to one of the them but I had to work very late on Thursday and the kiddie parade was in the afternoon Friday (when I was working...). I wasn't as fortunate as the county employees who had a half day off work...And of course the huge parade on Saturday was when we were in church. We had to drive towards down town to get to our second church and the place was a zoo! There was no parking within like a mile radius of downtown (and downtown is not very large!). Tons of people walking everywhere, floats, etc.

Neewollah also has a whole bunch of concerts and live music, a Neewollah pageant to crown a new Neelah queen, 5k/10k run and fun run/walk, high school band competitions (bands from schools all over the area come and compete), arts and crafts show, and other events/entertainment at the bandstand. So yea, it's somewhat of a big deal :)

I was able to go two different nights and enjoy the concerts, food, etc. with James, Verena, and friends. Check out some of the pictures!

Little Laylee!

Jaffle sandwiches are so good! A pocket of goodness somewhat similar to a pizza with red sauce, cheese, and veggies inside

Yummy food vendors everywhere. It smelled so good!

Pretty much fried everything (everything you could possibly imagine!)

One of the many bands performing

 
Fried snickers!

Laylee and Regan

Laylee was so excited for the carnival rides

 

We went back Saturday night to have some more fun. This huskey was beautiful! I couldn't resist taking a picture

Fresh cinnamon rolls! 

My delicious funnel cake! I love me some funnel cake :)

Verena hung out with her parental unit and had some fun too! 

Long lines to the carnival rides

 
Pink Floyd tribute band

And we finished off the night by going to CherryBerry to get more sweets (just what we didn't need!)

 

 

If you ever want to come out to the midwest and not be bored out of your mind, this is definitely a good time of year to visit!

Fall Fun

I LOVE FALL! :) I really do. The changing of seasons, leaves turning beautiful colors, amazing sunsets, perfect temperatures, the smell, being able to wear "new" clothes (a.k.a. the ones that have been hiding away in my closet for several months), scarves, bonfires, pumpkins, craving soup and hot drinks...oh the list could definitely go on and on. But, one thing I miss about fall in the east coast is the mountains with so many colorful leaves! There are not a lot of trees here in Southeast Kansas, and the ones that are here are not very colorful, yet...but there's still time for that to happen I guess! I am hoping to get some decent fall pictures this year but who knows. We will have to see what this "wonderful" state has to offer.

Last weekend we were able to enjoy a bonfire and hayride with one of our churches (*sidenote: out here in good 'ol Kansas they refer to a hayride as a 'hayrack' ride...weird right?). It was so much fun to hang out, eat hot dogs, caramel popcorn, s'mores, drink hot chocolate, etc. by the fire. After it got dark we loaded up onto the hayride and went for a long ride under the moonlit sky through the fields and back roads. It was so peaceful watching the shooting stars, snuggling with my favorite guy, and singing songs. 

Hot chocolate in the making!

The church members who hosted had a ton of cats at their farm. I got my first "mom, please can we take it home??" (*insert sad/begging face*)

Verena the animal whisperer

Cat barn!

Verena only had like 25 favorites...

How can you resist this cutie?!

Verena was a little excited :)

Caramel popcorn! So good

Hot cocoa

James's amazing photography skills!

Verena's first hayride!

So much good food!

It was definitely a wonderful start to one of my favorite seasons.