Wednesday, March 31, 2010

The Kiddos


A little look at the past few years with my beauties.

Homeschooling days.
Puppet Play.
Hours and hours of outside play.
I've been lucky to be home with them the past 5 years.
My best buddies!
They play together & they work together.
They are learning to support each other and care for one another...
and like any family, they have their tough moments...
but hopefully, as they grow, they will have a deep value for each other,
that will be bigger than anything that could possibly separate them.
Carli, Bradey & Luke... My little treasures.

I love you kiddos!!!

Courtney

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

What wolf?

This morning's class is one in which there is always a discussion going on throughout the yoga poses. It seems to be a therapeutic, and a much needed part of the class.
The subject that naturally fell on the table was... the need for a strong sense of discernment with who is proper in their dealings with others, and who is, well... taking advantage.
Being sensitive to the red flags was the idea.
Sadly enough, there are many who can sense a tender heart and, sometimes unintentionally, don't have second thoughts about using that to get gain.
We discussed how prevalent it is today and how we are seeing more and more cases where the red flags went unnoticed until it was too late.
There was a good point made, that it doesn't matter what nationality, what color, what social class, what religion or what a person's self claims are... it's everywhere.
The point of this is merely to say... think about it. If you haven't given it much thought before, just at least know that there is a wise place for being aware of red flags.
Paranoid? No.
Aware? Yes.


Food for thought.

Courtney

Monday, March 29, 2010

Backyard Freedom

Looking through some old photos with my kiddos this morning.
We came across a bunch of pics taken at our old house and we realized how much we miss the little plot of land we were on.
We had pretty views...

Fields to roam in...

Lots of area to pretend in...
Beautiful winter scenes...

Trees to climb in...

Soft lawn to roll around on...
Gardens with all our favorites in them...

Apple & maple trees that gave shade and looked breathtaking against the blue sky...

Tons of fun for our cat and any visiting dogs (siblings pets)...

The kids enjoy our home now in many ways, but we long for a time when we can once again have a little piece of country.


Courtney

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Meet Dad

My dad and step-mom, Lana, came and stayed with us.
We had a good time.
I got to watch dad give a lecture for the first time.
He's good... and funny.
We had some time to visit and I feel we could go on forever with all the life subjects.
They are both good at teaching me what they know.
They both work to heal others.
Between the two they share 12 children.
They are so lucky to always have kids around...
and now grandkids to boot.
I'm glad I have them in my life.
(If I had more time, I could tell you lots more about them, but my honey is waiting for me to come have dinner with him. There will be more down the road.)

Love you Dad and Mimi!
Thanks for the fun past two days!
Courtney



Tuesday, March 23, 2010

My Yoga Practice

Vasisthasana
Side Plank Pose

Poses where you aim and reach are always inspiring to me.

A little bit about my practice.
When I was in school, training to instruct, I wasn't expecting to have anything happen but to be taught... to learn and then teach.
My love for the practice was already in me.
I was going to classes and studying with all my time.
It felt so good.
Then out of the blue one day while I was on my way to class,
I had a moment.
It was like getting hit with an inspirational brick upside the head.
The voice: "The Physical, Emotional & Spiritual Muscles are one in the same."
The vision: A contracting physical muscle, an unseen yet very felt emotional muscle and a spiritual muscle I'm unable to describe except "heavy with spirit".
BIZARRE!
I was not, nor ever would have expected that. It was one of those times where you stop and think to yourself, "Did I just hear that???? Did I just see that????"
Was it real?
I couldn't deny it.
So all the way to class, during class and ever since after,
I think on this regularly.
I'm wondering if it's out there somewhere.
If there are people I could talk to and get a better understanding.
It made sense to me in that,
when a person exercises, (yoga, strength training, running, etc.) they always feel better emotionally and spiritually.
When someone gains emotional strength, they tend to have more energy and feel more open and peaceful in spirit.
When someone gains spiritual enlightenment, they always feel better in body and are stronger to stand emotionally.
In my eyes, it goes hand & hand.
I myself have had personal experience with this most my life.
I've heard it from people who have exercised and gotten in shape for the first time.
I've heard it from people who have gone to counseling and made great emotional strides.
I've heard it from church goers, scripture readers and meditators...
but I never thought of it all as a connection in this way.
So as I've looked at this, there are some things that have come to me, and make sense to me.
When a physical muscle is tightened, there is no way for the toxins to get out.
No way for the fresh blood and oxygen to come in. It's all trapped.
Same with the emotional muscle.
When it's all locked up with emotions, there is no way for the those toxic emotions to get out and thus no way for good healthy new emotions to flow in.
Same with the spiritual muscle.
When our spiritual muscle is locked up and we don't exercise it or stretch it...
our spirit gets stuck. Can't flow. Can't feel. Can't love. No hope. No spark.
Once the spiritual muscle opens or exercises, there's life. There's identity. There's a beautiful soul full of spirit.
In my practice working with others, bringing these three things to health is the goal.
My love and desire, is to work with those who know (somewhere in them) they are locked up in these three muscles and are looking for a way to open it all up and find themselves.
When women start crying during a yoga class, it's because they have opened the physical muscle thus opening the emotional and spiritual muscle and are releasing the unwanted to make room for the much needed health to flow in.
My reason for writing this is to show more about my work. This is a big part of who I am and what I have discovered about me and life since being free of my mentor. He never would have allowed me to think this way... express these things. It was his way or no way. I'm free. I'm here and I'm moving on with my divine talents, abilities and hopefully continual enlightenment to share with the world.
Thanks for reading.
Courtney


Monday, March 22, 2010

A Simple Life


I don't believe in frettin' and grievin';

Why mess around with strife?

I never was cut out to step and strut out.

Give me the simple life.


A cottage small is all I'm after,

Not one that's spacious and wide.

A house that rings with joy and laughter

And the ones you love inside.


Some like the high road, I like the low road

Free from the care and strife.

Sounds corny and seedy, but yes, indeed-y;

Give me the simple life.


"Give me the Simple Life" by Harry Ruby & Rube Bloom


While Matt was here, we talked a lot about how much his life has changed as he sold everything and set out with his family, taking nothing but the basics. I tell ya... I'm very proud of him for taking that scary step not knowing what the future would hold for him and his family. They found so many blessings and miracles on their journey and discovered that it was far better than expected. The point of our discussion was the joy of simplicity and Matt's dreams for a future without all the unnecessary "stuff" that we feel we have to have to keep up with the rat race.

I related to his feelings and vision. In childhood, my mother did have an eye for style and at the same time, it was simple. No fancy chandeliers. No china dishes in a glass cabinet. No fancy carpet that we weren't allowed to walk on. She did have nice, simple couches and rugs and a few paintings on the walls. In my time with my mentor, I was taught to live on very little. Didn't have furniture, TV, decorations, etc.. We were controlled tightly in this area so when all was said and done, we've had to go back and rethink it all. Since that time, I have purchased some simple furniture... not a lot has changed, but I have had feelings of wanting to have lots of nice stuff. I went straight out of high school to working with this mentor so I never really had a chance to have my own identity on this. I'm so glad that Matt was able to bring this subject up so I could take another look at it and do a self check with where my values and goals are. I don't feel that I would be more important to others if I have a bunch of nice things... however, I do feel that there is a place to express identity through the things you have around you. Eventually there is a balance and everyone gets to look at that and make the decision where it is for them. It's an individual choice.

My temporal desires are to have nice quality, but not fancy. Simple yet pleasing. I am just getting started with evaluating where I want to go with my temporal life. More importantly I feel my heart is moved towards a life of service and because of that, my mind doesn't think a lot on "stuff" and "things". The trick, I feel, will be as I can get things rolling, to keep the focus. So now is the time I can prepare and set my standards ahead, so if ever I question it, I will have things lined out to fall back on. Isn't this something that couples do when they decide to marry? Wouldn't it be a responsible thing to do so my quality of life doesn't get "high-jacked" by the affluent need to have more than the next guy? Shouldn't keeping my core values and beliefs anchored help me to steer through the temptations that cause so many to fall into pride, debt and all kinds of pitfalls? So "set it", "know it" and "stick with it". I did this for my 15 years away... I can do it again in this beautiful new place.

Thanks again Matt & Heather for the great conversation!

I look forward to the next one!

Courtney


Sunday, March 21, 2010

On the Road Again

Matt & his family were a joy to have over.
We had some fun, some great conversations and lots of down time.
The last two days were extra fun with Ashley, Ben, Rich and mom over also.
The sunshine kept us warm outside where the kids played and made beautiful little bird nests.

The teensiest of Matt's kids.
Matt's five beauties. (Sam is trying to hide from me.)

Goodbye hug for Kenzie.

The traveling duo that has kept this fam safe on the road.
Ashley got some fun shots of my horse shoe statues. Here's one.
Love you little Sammie!
Kenz getting a whooping from Uncle Bear.
Heading out with "On the Road Again" playing and all the kids singing.



Love you Matt!!!

Courtney

Friday, March 19, 2010

More of the gang


Four kid pile up... and no surprise Moko is on top!
A little birthday fun for Heather.

Girls day out.

Sparkles...

Giggles...
Goodies, and...

...Socks???

Courtney

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Fun with Matt

Having a good time with Matt's family here.

I can't seem to get these pics to move around so they are in a funny order.
I lightened Heather's hair. It's red now.
Today is her birthday.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY HEATHER!
This pic was taken close to 1:00 in the morning. We are sooo tired.
Matt decides to try Heather's new flat iron.
The result.

Ashley gave Heather a new hair cut. It's so cute.

Matt working very hard to not make a funny face. He did it!!!
Benny and Luke attacking uncle Matt. Once the wrestling starts, the ice has been broken and all hell can break loose.
I tried to get these teeth out while he was sleeping, but he wasn't deep enough to not feel it. They are hanging literally.
Moko being cute.
Sis loving having Kenz and Bailey here.
Yesterday a bug came to town and put me and Luke in bed for the day.
Matt took all the kids sight seeing and they had fun. I am sad that I couldn't go.
Luckily the bug only lasted one day.
Today we are going to play.

Have a great one!
Courtney