More Yoga, Trashy Earth Articles, Another Baby and Summer Stuff

Eating-Up Arts Fest - June 2011

It seems pretty ridiculous to me that I haven't blogged in a month. That' so not like me. Where's my catharsis? Where's my vernacular vomit of the mind? Where's my outpouring of too much information: stories of poop and potty training and all the brilliant culinary masterpieces I've been (rem, supposed to have been) creating with flow and ease?

Yeah, not so much here.

If you haven't noticed, this blog has basically become the link to two sites: my monthly yoga spots on Fox and my "Third Thursday bit" on Make and Takes (which oddly enough, hit the blogosphere this morning).

And yes, there's plenty to talk about: Holden's love of Lagoon, our gardens, my uncanny ability to grow mint and lavender, the fact we've been EC-ing for more than two years and Cito is still not 100% diaper-free (though getting closer).

There's a baby on it's way... I'm 22 weeks, finishing up the 5th month and easing into my 6th month (breaking out maternity clothes and coming to terms with the fact that I really do "look" pregnant -- especially by the end of the day). We chose not to find out the sex -- well, I chose and Danny went along because I'm kind of a militant matriarchal tyrant, and that's even before you figure in pregnancy hormones.

We are officially a one car family: Danny sold his Subaru earlier this summer and opted for a sage-green Buddy Scooter (he's so comfortable in his manhood). Apparently he's already started looking at cars. :)

I still want to blog about our Disney Cruise experience (I took notes because I knew it would take me a while to get around to it); and I'd like to jot down a little more info about our RAGNAR experience (about 15 weeks preggers and a head cold that peaked right around my 2am run).

Plus there's the 4th of July festivities (Holden rode in the Millcreek Lions Club Parade with his cousin Max in a powerwheel), Holden's new found love of Lagoon (Danny bought season's passes for me and little bits), naked tea parties and Holden's first "friend birthday party." It was cowboy party for a neighborhood friend and they had a friggin' pony in their back yard (more on this awesomeness later.)

I'm sure eventually I'll get around to it.

But in the meantime, the links for this past week:

Last Saturday I had my sister Celeste help for a "Core Cultivation" segment on Fox 13. She did a great job (especially since she's not really a practicing yogi). And of course, the link to Make and Takes: a riveting little piece about getting started with composting. (It's borderline life changing).

Well, there you go... me doing my 'stuff' trying to save the world one toddler, yoga asana or article at a time. No matter how much things change, they really just stay the same, eh?

Third Thursday = Guest Bloggin'!

It's that time of the month again. (Ew, not that time. I'm 17 weeks preggers remember?)

Nah, it's time for my monthly bit at Make and Takes.

Check it out HERE.

Peace love and farmers markets....

Holden Helps the Guys

It's officially summer time at the Mangum household. How do I know? Because my hair is getting washed almost every day from time in the swimming pool, there's usually dirt in my fingernails (even with the pool time) and my son seems to look less like me each day as I turn a deeper shade of brown and he is doused in California Baby Sunscreen ensuring none of his Mexican heritage shines through (seriously, could the kid be any whiter?)

We spent the morning in the yard: shoveling, watering, digging and even tasting (we have RADISHES! Wahooo!)

The landscapers have also been here a few times already this summer and the yard is coming along splendidly. They were here last night finishing up the border around our front lawn and getting the bark laid to help aid in weed protection.

Whenever they are here, Holden is convinced he needs to "help the guys." THat's what he was saying right before Danny caught him on the iPhone doing this:

Today he helped in a different way. After I had prepped the last few areas for beets, pumpkins and cucumbers, Holden helped me sow seeds of love and then some.

It started out fine. A long thin strip just smaller than an inch deep to drop in the beet seeds. Before I could blink, it moved from meticulous movement to handfuls of seeds being thrown over a 6 foot strip of earth. Holden's "beet row" is going to be a glorious mixture of beet greens and root veggies. I gave up caring that wasn't going to look exactly as I had planned. I know it will be perfect.

We moved onto the squash and the two "mounds" I prepared for hills of 6 seeds each, turned into two entire packets of seeds being dumped into a little patch of ground about 4 feet long and a foot or so wide..

It's going to be epic.

I love my little gardener.

The Bad Guys

Photo Credit www.zazzle.com

So I've mentioned part of this on facebook, and to a few of you already -- but we have had a lot of "Bad Guy" talk at our house.

The other day I was reading The Economist. It was the issue just following Bin Laden being taken down. Opposite his picture, was a picture of Obama. Holden, interested in what Mommy was doing pointed to the pictures.

I showed him Osama and said "Bad Guy," and then he pointed to Obama and I said "Good Guy." Soon after he started assigning "Good Guy / Bad Guy" to everyone.

• The dude with his hair slicked back? Bad Guy.
• Tyrannosaurus Rex (or "Sharp Tooth" at our house)? Bad Guy
• Dad? Good Guy... or Happy Guy.

He'll use Good Guy and Happy Guy interchangeably.

The "Bad Guys" are also responsible for a host of problems in our home.

Holden's Blue Bus missing? Bad Guys.

Lovely disappears? Bad Guys.

Mind you, this is not me making the assignments -- it's ALL Cito. Danny tried to tell Holden yesterday that T-Rex was not a bad guy, just misunderstood.I've been on 'repeat mode' with the phrase, "They're not bad guys. Some have just made bad choices."

Today, whilst riding his balance bike into the living room without his helmet, I asked him what was missing from his head. He told me (or at least tried to say) "helmet" to which I responded, "Where did it go?"

He immediately followed up with: "Bad guys took it."

Should I be concerned there are random villains constantly looming throughout my house and causing bedlam and mayhem?

Green Thumbs & Dirty Fingernails

I'm guest blogging over at Make & Takes today for my monthly bit on living more sustainably for you and your family.We're talking about gardening with kiddos. There's a great pic (if I do say so myself) of last year's lavender garden and one of my faves of Holden with one of his little gourds. His hair is also ridiculously blonde.

Hope you'll check it out.

Barefoot & Pregnant: My IronGirl Details

Yep, that's right people. Turns out over the past three months-- that have included a raw food week, two triathlons AND pole dancing lesson-- I have also been growing a little person inside of me. Huzzah!

I'm just past the 12 week mark, so of course it's time to share the news with the blogosphere.

That said, I hope you understand a little more fully why my tri-training kind of went to pot last month. I finished the SHAC triathlon with a renewed sense of determination, getting a little taste of what this body could be capable of...and then that blessed first trimester exhaustion hit me, and my ever so familiar aversion to the nauseating scent of fried chicken. Once that happened, I realized it was time to find out if my (as they say in Juno) "Eggo's prego."

OK, so recap on the race (if you're interested):

800 m swim (17 minutes, 1 second): Super crazy turbulent waters. And we started pretty far in the back of the pack so by the time I got in the water I felt like a fish in a koi pond feeding. Swimming in open water is NOTHING like swimming in a pool. Form flies out the door to keep your bearings because you literally cannot see in front of you.

Transition 1: (6 minutes 7 seconds.) I should've practiced getting that wet suit off before race day... it was pretty comical. And yes, I kick it old school style started the bike in my swimsuit (no bike/tri shorts) and some vibrams. A piece of work I am.

14ish-mile Bike: (57 min 39 seconds): Yes, I'm disappointed in my performance here. But it's my fault. My chain fell off in the first 1/2 mile, and while I'm sure they had support teams all along the way, I think the race staff figured we could at least managed the first mile on our own. I was shifting on the uphill, and apparently my 'components' were off a little bit anyway... (And one would probably learn this if they had actually ridden their bike outdoors.) So failure to plan, is a plan to fail - eh? I had to stop twice (once to 'fix' it, and another because it never sounded quite right until around mile seven,) and even then I was somewhat limited to what gears I even dared use. I think it probably cost me about seven minutes... (frown and a huffy breath, here).

Transition 2 (1 min 55 secs): Dump the bike, grab some water and head out... don't even need to change shoes with the Five Fingers. Oh and I put on a running skirt, because as fabulous as my wobbly bits are, I didn't think Vegas was ready for my jelly....

5k Run (31:26): It didn't take long to realize that shoes would've been nice for the run. I was thinking it was 'trail running,' which is fine with the Vibrams. But a construction zone that is all rocks the size of my big toe and larger? Not really ideal for a newbie 'minimalist' (aka wannabe barefoot) runner like me. I felt like I had to be pretty careful about where I was stepping and I think that affected my pace a bit. I was hoping to be about 3 minutes faster on the run too...

So that takes me about 10 minutes off what I was hoping for. But Danny said I need to "stop being so 'effing' competitive" (no seriously, those were his words when I kept replaying my perceived failure to him, over, and over, and over again). And I didn't get much training in... e

So final time: 1:54:08

Looking back I'm actually pretty stoked to be under two hours... especially pregnant, right?

Speaking of this poor, blessed fetus in my belly... what I've already put the kid through!

Hey welcome to Suite-Mangum madness little one. This is just a sampling of what's to come for you!!!!

BACK to Yoga on Fox

Holden shows his Dad a little Down-Doggie Action after a run

So I'll be doing another Yoga Segment on FOX 13 this weekend. Our focus will focus on a few sample postures for a healthy back and spine.

Where: Your TV (if you're local, Fox 13)

When: Saturday morning, 8:30ish

Who: Yours truly and my older sister Cassandra will be my demo girl/model

Why: Because the world needs yoga, and this is the closest I'll ever get to calling a truce with Bill O'Reilly

Namaste

PS. I know I'm behind a bit on blogging... but I have a million (give or take a few hundred thousand) posts in my head about the IronGirl, our Disney Cruise and how happy my heart is it's time to work in the garden again. (I know, the carrot posts promise to be even more riveting than last year's. I'm sure you're on the edge of your seat. All in due time...)