Commute

There are so many things I love about our new home but I think one of the most surprising joys I've found is my new commute. When living in our last place (a condo in Logan Square), I drove 20 minutes to get to work. It was a fast commute but could be stressful with traffic and it didn't really encourage any physical activity since my car was usually parked just a few feet from my home and office.

With this new commute, it's just slightly longer and yet more refreshing! In the morning I bike to the train, which is about a mile's distance, take a quick 20 minute express train into Union Station and then a quick 4 block walk to work (half mile). So every day I start and end my day with a bit of exercise.

So on top of 3 yoga classes a week, I'm biking at least 2 miles a day and walking at least 1 mile a day. It feels great! Chris and I even bought new bikes to motor around town in! (Mine is the blue one pictured - a vintage Schwinn! His is a similar version only the men's bike in red.)

I love the morning bike ride to the train station. It helps wake me up, breathing in the fresh, morning air and hearing the birds chirp and such. A stranger actually waved to me this morning and shouted "Hello!" as I biked past his house.

I love our new home and our new neighborhood!

Water Management

When we did our house inspection, before closing on our home, our inspector Mike drilled two words into our brains over and over again. "Water Management". In order to maintain a property, shield it from serious harm and keep your pocket book filled with bills, you need to, above all else, have Water Management.

Chris and I knew one of our first projects moving into the house was going to be cleaning out the leaves from the gutters and the debris from the drain outside the back door (which leads into our mud room). But we thought first we should paint the basement, mow the lawn, get unpacked, have the electrician put in more outlets in the kitchen, hang artwork, grill out dinner, watch LOST, etc, etc.

Well, it thunderstormed last night and I woke up to small puddles of water in our downstairs bathroom and laundry room.

Mike would be so disappointed in us.

So tonight we're cleaning out the drain and on Saturday we'll clean out those gutters. And for as long as I'm a home-owner I will never lose sight again of those two, very important words: Water Management.

Flint Smoke

Chris and I are wrapping up week 2 of being homeowners and already I've learned so much just by trial and error. The family room, for instance, has been a journey in it's self. I started out painting one accent wall red (which took 3 coats of paint to cover properly) and then the other walls were going to be a neutral color.

Well the first "neutral" was too white. The second "neutral" was too flesh-toned. But the third "neutral" was perfect! Thank goodness!

Flint Smoke from Behr is a beautiful mix of blue-grey and works perfectly in the family room setting!

But once I got the Flint Smoke on the walls I decided that red wall had to go. So two coats of primer later and it should be set to take on some Flint Smoke.

So tonight, Jenn and I will tape and paint the last two walls of the family room. Flint Smoke all around with the beautiful white baseboards, trim and window sills.

Thank goodness....I'm so sick of painting this room. :)

Vinyasa

I'm going on my third week of yoga classes and so far I'm feeling strong, tired and stretched like taffy. Probably normal for the third week.

My company has begun offering 3 free yoga classes every week, over the lunch hour. Myself, along with about 10 other women, spend the hour breathing, stretching, stretching farther, posing, breathing and then stretching even farther before allowing ourselves to be still and quiet for a few minutes. It's a great practice.

I also really enjoy our instructors, two women who alternate leading the class. They're very patient and yet encouraging and already I can see and feel an improvement in my flexibility.

On Tuesdays, the yoga we're practicing is called Vinyasa. It's very rhythmic and active, with long sequences of movements timed with our breath. For instance we do a sun salutation sequence 3 or 4 times in a row, to warm up before class.

Some of the poses we're working on are:
Downward Facing Dog - Adho Mukha Svanasana
Extended Side Angle Pose - Utthita Parsvakonasana
Garland Pose - Malasana
Raised Hands Pose - Urdhva Hastasana
Standing Forward Bend - Uttanasana
Triangle Pose - Trikonasana
Warrior II - Virabhadrasana II
Seated Forward Bend - Paschimottanasana
Child's Pose - Balasana
Happy Baby Pose - Ananda Balasana
Bridge Pose - Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
Cat - Cow Stretch
Cobra Pose - Bhujangasana
Plank Pose


So far, Vinyasa is my favorite type of yoga. :)

Happy Birthday!

It's Chris' birthday today so I figured I should write a little post about him. :) First, to explain the photos: the windblown hair picture was taken during our wedding ceremony. Holy cow was it windy that day! But the setting was beautiful and it was amazing hearing the waves crash up on the beach. The second photo was taken at the top of Thira, an ancient Grecian city on the island of Santorini. It was windy and dry at the top of the hill, so we were grateful for the huge bottles of water we brought along.

Chris will be drinking like that at his party on Saturday but it won't be water in his hand. It will either be a beer or a glass of scotch (depending on what time of they day/evening it happens to be).

I've only known Chris a few of the years he's been alive but what I know about him is that he's a fantastic person, he's genuinely caring, he's brilliant (I mean really, flippin' brilliant), he's humble (he would never admit to be being brilliant), he's hilarious and he's tall. And now he's also middle-age.

Happy Birthday, babe!