.:a season in review:.

 i feel like i have SO much to write about that i don’t even know where to start……

let’s start with my pride and joy, my basketball team! as i write this, the season has come to an end (tear) and our end of the party last night wrapped it all up, but if i left it at that, it would not come close to the justification that this season and my girls deserve..

starting this role, i remember being told by one of my ‘bosses’ (a retired Timberwolf) that if i were able to get this group of girls to win ONE game, i would be offered a “multi-million dollar deal”. if that were true, i’d probably have his job, but i obviously am still waiting on that deal (hence, my employment still at UCare). nonetheless, my girls have surpassed even my highest expectations. i knew i had my work cut out for me when the first practice started off with teaching the girls how to dribble, where (and what) out of bounds were and how (and why) we line up for free throws, but i also believed in them from that very first practice.

i don’t want to give you a play by play of every game, but here are a few highlights…

>  winning our first game of the season (i think that may have been the first time i showed that i was ‘a little’ competitive). in this game, our smallest girl on the team got a basket and our second smallest girl hit her free throws. who said they couldn’t even get the ball to the hoop? :)

>  almost beating an ‘A’ team. yes, i said almost. we went up against a lot of A teams that put themselves in B brackets, but before this game i was told there was no way we were going to beat this team and the best thing i could do is as a coach, is to just get them through. if you think losing to this team by 3 in overtime impossible, then we accomplished the impossible. my girls deserved to win that game, but that’s not always the game of basketball

>  taking 3^rd place at a Lakeville tournament. not only was this their first ‘title’, but it was 3^rd! to see the joy on their faces when we got our 3^rd place shirts is a picture will never be a moment i take for granted……

>  beating 2 teams in the State tournament that beat us earlier in the year. by beating us, i mean destroying us by about 20 points. do you know how much 20 points is in 5^th grade? to give you a hint, we won a game 7-2….. not only did we beat them, but we came from behind and beat them! both halftimes, i remember telling the girls if they wanted to stretch out the season as long as possible we needed to win these games and we needed to believe that we can win.

the last moment was by far one of my proudest moments to date. not only was it a testimony to hard they have worked and how far they have come, but it just goes to show that these girls have heart and fight. they also have a passion for the game of basketball, to learn and grow in the game.

to be honest, i don’t even know what our record was at the end of the season because i didn’t keep track, it didn’t matter. my guess would be that we weren’t even 500, but i can guarantee not many teams accomplished the things that we did.

as i told the girls at our party, they brought me to tears out of both frustration and pride. i feel as though i adopted ten 5th graders as my daughters (or maybe sisters considering I’m only 11 years older than most of them).

growing up, i have always heard my coaches tell me that they learned more from us than what we probably did from them and i always thought that was the stupidest thing ever (weren’t you the one who made us run if we didn’t do what you told us to?). i can honestly say that i now know exactly where they were coming from. they girls have taught me how to be responsible, a leader, positive, and stern. after a long day of working in a call center, the best cure was to come to a practice and see how much these girls depended on me. the greatest thing was that no matter what bill was due the next day, whether i had enough money to put gas in my car or if i was exhausted from working, the girls energized me and taught me that life will go on, but when we all stepped on the court nothing else matter (except maybe what time everyone was going to the pool….). in all seriousness, i would like nothing more that to have the opportunity to coach these girls again.

it is with a full heart and on the verge of tears (both happy and sad), that i wrap up my first season as a head coach.

thank you to everyone who supported me and the girls. thank you to the parents who got the girls to every practice and game regardless of how many crazy activities they had going on. thank you to my assistant coach who was my side kick and confidante, who supported me in every decision and game plan. thank you to my dad for all the advice, long phone calls on the way home talking out plays, drills and obstacles. thank you to my MF who woke up early on weekends to go to games and stayed up late waiting for me with dinner ready when i didn’t get home from practice until 10:15 and thank you to ‘my girls’, let’s hope this isn’t the last time you guys bring me to tears.

.:reunited and it feels so good!:.

i know most of you loyal followers (making that plural may be a little TOO confident), have been checking my blog daily wondering where the heck i've been since my last post (i am ashamed to say that it has be well over a month).

 

anyway, i am back and it feels so good! this post symbolizes a lot more for me than having 20 minutes to fill you in on my life, but it also means that my life and schedule is drastically slowing down which i desperately need!

 

the past 4 weeks has been filled with lots of cube-sitting, basketball coaching, yoga training, no sleep (ok, i got a few hours), eating whatever and whenever i can and awesome memories! it has been a ton of fun, minus the cube-sitting, but bills have to get paid, right?.

i have been on a search for an outlet from my cubicle job (for when baskeball ends) that would also be a supplemental income. the idea of becoming a yoga instructor has always been on the back of my mind. however, i thought it was going to stay there for a verrrry long time and for many reasons. a few reasons include i couldn't afford the program, i didn't have enough time and i didn't think i was cut out to teach yoga. one afternoon as i was sitting in my cube researching the program further, it seemed as though all the stars aligned and it was meant for me to go through Yoga Sculpt teach training at CorePower Highland Park , i mean why not throw another thing on my plate, right?

in all seriousness, the training schedule hardly interferred with my basketball schedule and i was offered a scholarship to help relieve the cost of the program! i was literally sitting in my cube, doubting myself with butterflies in my stomach (of excitement/nerves) and tears in my eyes thinking about how i couldn't deny myself this opportunity.....could i?

a HUGE thanks goes out to the manager at CorePower Highland Park. her willingness to help in anyway possible, believing in me when i didn't and giving me that extra push was the ultimate deciding factor. so i joined 24 other yogis on a journey.....

along this journey, we spent over 40 hours together deepening our individual yoga practice, sweating, counting on the beat (in our 'yoga voice' of course) and lifting each other up in encouragement. outside

of our 'classroom' sessions, we spent many hours going to classes together including a group fitness class at other gyms in the metro. 2 other yogis and i experienced a zumba class at 'The Firm'  in minneapolis, what an experience! i'm convinced it was more striptease than zumba, either way, my hips, knees and arms were definitely not made to coordinate or move in any type of 'striptease' fashion. looks like i'm stuck at UCare making my money....


i thought i was going to be relieved when the training program ended and i would get (some) free time back, but i really miss it! i miss sitting in a studio learning all about Yoga Sculpt with my ohmies. i am SO grateful to both of our beautiful and talented instructors and for all of my fellow ohmies. they supported me in every mistake, triumph and made me get out of my comfort level....along with making me permanently sore for a 4 weeks straight :)

to my fellow ohmis:. you all have touched my life and my practice in SO many ways. we are such a talented and special group of individuals with a passion for yoga, sweat and elevating others. even though most of us are at the beginning stage of teaching, i am so excited to see where this journey brings all of us.


:.namaste:.

so many exciting things, so little time!

this week has started off on a good great foot for many reasons!

first off, my girls had a basketball tournament this weekend where they took 3rd place! honestly, they should've went on to the championship game, but we lost by 3 points in overtime, bummer! either way, i am super proud of all they accomplished this weekend and this season so far. they are working hard, improving and they deserved to have something to show for it, in this case, it was a t-shirt. they also think that Coach owes them DQ for winning, but we'll see how well the Coach's budget is doing after rent and student loans (doesn't a high-five cut it anymore?).

also, i found this AMAZING 1/2 marathon in Vancouver on August 11th and the best part of it, it's sponsored by LULULEMON! anyone who knows me, knows that i am obsessed with this brand. some people think it's overpriced, i see it as an investment for living a healthy lifestyle fashionably and comfortably :)

either way, i REALLY want to go to Vancouver and i REALLY want to run in this 1/2 marathon....stay tuned (and keep your fingers crossed!).

this week is going to be super eventful, exhausting and fun! first off, my MF and i are celebrating our one year, ONE YEAR on friday! that's crazy to me, i know a lot of people say, i cannot believe it's already been a year, but seriously, i CANNOT believe it's already been one year. also, i start my yoga teacher training this weekend at CorePower Yoga. i am B E Y O N D excited! this could be a start of a new career away from my cubicle and onto my mat, could a girl ask for anything more? last thing, i am hosting a Pure Romance party at my house this saturday evening, so my house will be filled with friends, laughs and wine!

i am hoping i will be able to check in and maintain my resolution of BLOGGING MORE, but only time will tell!!!

always striving for more,

dee b.

when life throws you lemons, make lemon water!

seriously though, feeling a little down? throw a lemon in either cold or warm water and reap an abundance of benefits.  this list may seem a little long winded, but i will try to make it as reader friendly as possible!

o   DETOX>> it assists in “cleansing the system of impurities”. please realize, i just graduated from college, so i'm not sure if i'm still detoxifying from the past 4 years or if i need to detox from my everyday living, either way we ALL need to detox.

• it is effective at dissolving uric acid (often the cause of pain and inflammation in joints) and other poisons in the body. it also battles inflammation by flushing bad bacteria and toxins out of your system and cooling inflammation. have you read my prior post about having 5 knee surgeries? pain and inflammation in my joints is a constant battle and i'm sure i am not alone on this!

o   a good source of citric acid, potassium, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, vitamin C and antioxidants. lemons also contain vitamins (such as vitamin B, riboflavin), minerals, proteins and carbohydrates. have you heard of any of these being bad for you?!? didn't think so.

o   lemon juice is similar in atomic structure to saliva and other digestive juices, so it is very helpful in the process of digestion and eliminaton. the qualities of lemon juice help to relieve symptoms of indigestion, such as heartburn and bloating. lemon water will also help to eliminate waste more efficiently, i won't go into details there....

o   for all your blondies out there (me)>> due to it's potassium content, it nourishes brain and nerve cells 

• promotes liver functioning by providing natural strengthening agent liver enzymes. also, helps fix oxygen and calcium levels in liver which affects blood oxygen levels. what the heck are blood oxygen levels? it is the amount of oxygen that travels throughout your blood and arteries. in order to function properly, your body needs a constant level of oxygen circulating in the blood to cells and tissues. your blood oxygen levels need to be high in order to maintain levels of energy throughout your day and especially while working out. the higher your blood oxygen levels are, the more efficient oxygen will be transported to your muscles and the better workout you will be able to have! drink up!

• lemons are highly acidic, but they contain the good acids that your body needs, your body needs to be maintained around a certain PH balance in order to thrive and run smooth.  if your body is not alkaline, as it should be, then you could have a series of health problems. increasing body alkalinity is one of the key benefits of drinking lemon water. in addition, because of its antibacterial properties, lemon water will help control unhealthy bacteria.
• helps purify the blood and will also control a tendency to bleed

o   assists in lowering high blood pressure
 

o   relieves symptoms of asthma, allergies and other respiratory problems. also, reduces the amount of phlegm in the body, GROSS!

o   it's diuretic effect helps dissolves gallstones, calcium deposits, kidney stones, and pancreatic stones along with avoid urinary tract infections.

o   in pregnancy, it will help build strong bones in the child.

o   lemon's anti bacterial component reduces fever and relieves sore throats.

o   improves skin and dental health! helps ward off acne, eczema  and toothaches.

o   on a diet? lemon water helps maintain natural energy while you are on a diet and also reduces your body weight.

need any other reasons to drink lemon water? didn't think so!

although lemon + water seems like an easy equation, here are few tips that i've found when it comes to maximizing the benefits:.

>buy small, heavy fruit
>store lemons at room temperature
>prior to cutting, roll the lemon on the counter with the palm of your hand. also, WASH the lemon before cutting it, you don't want all those nasty germs in your water
>it is best to drink lemon water at room temperature or warmer. cold lemon water can shock your stomach
>best time to drink is 1st thing in the morning or at least 30 minutes before a meal.
>reuse! keep your lemon in your cup and add more water throughout the day, it's not as strong, but still tastes good and has the benefits!
>CONVENIENCE TIP:. don't want to spend time slicing lemons into wedges? feel free to buy the bottled lemon juice, but make sure the ingredients says 100% lemon juice, if not, well please use common sense here...
>if lemon water is not your thing (yet!), try putting orange slices or cucumbers slices in with the lemon. also, you can try making it more "lemonade-like" by adding a sweetener such as Steevia or Truvia.

enjoy!

always striving for more,
dee b.

.:CHECKING IN:.

hello friends!

just thought i'd check in to see how all of your resolutions are going and to let you know how mine are doing......

this has got to be one of the simplest, yet greatest creations ever. this was a christmas present from my mom (think it's a suddle enough hint to get organized?). as you can see i have LOTS of jewelry and this thing has a ton of compartments (the backside is all pockets as well) to keep it all separate, untangled and best of all, easy to find! you should have seen my jewelry box before this--my MOH and i spent a good chunk of an evening talking while untangling necklaces, bracelets and earrings. i'll be honest and say that we weren't able to salvage all of them and there is still a small ball that needs to untangled! nonetheless, here is a simple, yet effective way to de-clutter!

as far as my other ones, there are going mediocre.....

i am going to begin training for my triathon tomorrow (i know, i know, yesterday i said tomorrow). i already have bag packed ready to head to the pool at 6:45 AM to begin learning how to swim again.....

my room is FAIRLY organized which i am going to consider a win. between going from work to coaching or running or yoga or having a social life, i can go thru MANY outfits in one day and if most of my clothes make it to where they belong, i'll call it good :) (what do you think mom?)

in the past few days, i did decide on a few more resolutions:.

>sleep more! i can always find time to run, yoga, clean, have a social life, but the one thing that i can't seem to fit into my schedule is more sleep! i thought after college i would be well-rested and on a consistent 8-hour/night sleep schedule. well, it hasn't exactly happened that way, especially when the mf and i decide to watch just ONE more episode of Criminal Minds....

>blog more:. i don't believe this requires further explanation....

>drink more lemon water! does anyone else know all the health benefits of spicing up regular H20 with lemon slices??? it's crazy, i've now decided to dedicate an entire post on this, stay tuned!

how are your resolutions going? have you found effective (yet efficient) ways to make them stick?

always striving for more,

dee b.

new year, new you?

is anyone else tired of hearing this phrase when New Year's comes around?

along with everybody else, i do get excited for a new year, fresh start and of course, i set goals, but do i really need to find a new me in the new year? how about me who is trying to improve a few things?

i was reading in my recent Women's Health  magazine about setting resolutions using 5 principles. i found these really helpful when looking at my own resolutions and ensuring that they stick (let's face it, what is the average life span of a new year's resolution?)

1. specific--vauge goals give people too much leeway. be precise.

2. measurable--you should be able to gauge or quantify your success. it may help to set micro (weekly) and macro (monthly) goals. these will serve as 'checkpoints' to help you stay on track.

3. attainable--don't set yourself up for failure.

4. realistic--goes along with attainable. your schedule, body and energy can only go so far, keep that in mind!

5. time sensitive--deadlines will create a sense of urgency, will make this goal feel like a priority and always in the back of your mind. time sensitive goals can also be used as "checkpoints" for reflection and modifcation if needed.

in years past, i have always put 'lose weight' or 'workout more' at the top of my list, but not this year. i'm not sure if it's because i didn't fall into the viciously unhealthy cycle of finals this year or didn't completely gorge myself at Christmas to feel guilty or simply, but i am happy with my weight and health that i can move onto other goals and let me tell you, it feels good! i can finally move onto resolving  improving other parts of my life.

here are my resolutions/goals:.

>become more organized and with this SIMPLIFY! do i really ALL those clothes, shoes and junk that causes more stress than anything? regardless of what my mother may think, i do not enjoy coming home to a messy room or driving around in a messy car, it makes me feel uneasy and stressed. my goal is to only have to spot clean every once in awhile vs. having to spend an entire evening cleaning a week's worth of mess!

>take better care of my teeth:. i'll admit, i fell into bad habits of not taking care of my teeth while in college. don't get me wrong, i brush my teeth twice a day (most days), but i have white strips i would like to start using and floss that NEEDS to be used.

>eat less carbs....i know, i know, what a lame GIRL resolution, but seriously, it can be a bit excessive.

>train for SOMETHING:. with my recent knee surgery, i may not be able to train for a marathon (yet), but there are a lot of other events i could should be training for! first on my list, Alexandria's Sprint Tri. going along with this, i would like to create a leaner body type. i consider myself to be 'bulky' (thanks to years of playing soccer and basketball) and i think it is time to get rid of that! i am hoping that by leaning myself out, my knees won't have as much pressure on them, resulting in being able to run long distances again (read train for marathon) !!!!

> make the next step in my career planning/pathway, i'm on a 3-5 year plan (more on this later....)

>save more money:. luckily, my mf and i are both on a budget diet with the help of some expense tracker apps, but i'm beginning to realize the more money i have in my savings account, the more i seem at ease and the more risks i can take...

i can honestly say, that none of these seem drudging, i am excited to get started and anxious to see where i am at the end of 2012!

now onto ringing in the new year! how did you all celebrate?!

i can say that i couldn't have imagined a better NYE. i got to spend the evening with my mf, Henry (duh), brother and sister-in-law. it was low-key and so much fun! the evening began with grilling, baking cookies, playing Apples to Apples and drinks! right when it started snowing, we decided to hit a couple bars on Grand Ave.

here are a few pictures, enjoy! :)

       

 

happy new year to you all! i would really enjoy to hear about your resolutions or tips to help mine stick!

always striving for more,
dee b.

busy-not at leisure; otherwise engaged

that, my friends, is the definition of busy according to dictionary.com. no complaints here, i was definitely enjoying the Christmas/holiday season, but i couldn't seem to find time to update my blog!

how was your Christmas/holiday celebration? my fellow Minnesotans, how did you feel about the 'brown' Christmas we've had?

well, as much as i do enjoy snow and getting in the Christmas spirit with a winter wonderland, i made the best of the 'brown' Christmas we had this year and even will admit that i enjoyed being able to run outside without having to wear 4 layers and slipping everywhere! :)

this Christmas seemed extra special for reasons that i can't quite pinpoint, but i can take a few guesses....

1. i got to spend the couple weeks before Christmas having a great friend of mine stay at my place (what up, MOH)....we had SOOO many laughs, reminisced about the good ol' days (cause we're so old and wise) and created so many new memories and outrageous sayings that wouldn't make sense to anyone, but us....

2. being able to see my basketball girls enjoy the Christmas season and 'Secret Santas' put me in a festive mood. has anyone else noticed that as you get older, Christmas seems to be a bit more stressful than enjoyable with all the spending money, long 'To-Do' lists and traveling? these girls keep me grounded and made me realize Christmas can be easy and enjoyable.

3. i absolutely LOVE giving presents. i am a person who would rather give presents than get presents, but being short on money can make this difficult and stressful. i realized a little creativity and planning can go a long way! i was able to stay within budget and give some of the best/creative gifts yet! yaay!

4. simplicity--maybe this is what the 'youngens' are doing right to enjoy Christmas....this season will always be hectic, but there is no reason why it cannot be simple at the same time. i found myself truly enjoying the simple thingsthis year:. time with friends, decorating the Christmas tree, enjoying the scent of a holiday candle (seriously, has anyone tried the Glade holiday candles? AMAZING!), enjoying the peace and quiet of an evening run in the snow and cuddling up with my mf and favorite kitten just watching TV. slow down, enjoy it! it's the most wonderful time of the year!

5. TRADITIONS! my family and i have always had the tradition of attending the candlelight Church service and afterwards,  gorging ourselves with crab legs (and butter) along with pecan pie on Christmas eve. in my mind, you can't beat this tradition! my oldest brother, Nic, coming home has also turned into tradition! his life is very 'Hollywood', so he only gets to come home twice a year and having him home is a really special treat (for the most part...). 

 

this was the first Christmas my mf and i have spent together, so we decided to create a few of our own traditions....

we put up our own Christmas tree! we had a lot fun doing this (Henry was a big help as well) and we are quite proud of our first Christmas tree :)

another tradition we decided to do was to write down all of the memories of 2011....on an ornament! we bought a big green ornament and wrote down big milestones of 2011 in black permanent marker. we really had a great year together and can't wait to see what memories can be put on 2012's ornament.

do you have any Christmas traditions? i think they are so fun and really add to the meaning of Christmas!

always striving for more,
dee b.