I’ve been trying to write my blog in the daytime now, when the monkeys are mellow (which really is a rare and tenuous time)! I mean, they put in a full day: we played all morning, painted, danced, and in the afternoon, we went to the gym where I took in a yoga class and 35 minutes of cardio HOLLAAAAH! AND, can I get a WOO WOO! (butthenIateatruckloadoforganiccookies…. willstartdiettomorrow).

A-ny-way. So, here we are. It’s a bit different writing during the day. I really am a night owl. And, today is Thursday Thirteen day, and I’m hoping that as I write an idea will come to me………… Nope. Nothing yet. Oh! Oh! Got one! Here we go….

THIRTEEN THINGS I SPEND MY MONEY ON!

Yes, while on the elliptical machine this aft, I listened to my fave podcast (it’s on the sidebar of Cheaty Recommends…. LOVE it…. inspiring). In the podcast, brillers host Kimberly Wilson talks about how a very wise woman once said that what you spend money on says a lot about WHO YOU ARE. If you want to learn more about yourself, figure out what you’re spending the most money on….

So…. Let’s see….

1. ORGANIC FOODS….

I’m an Earth girl. I try to support the environment as best I can. Every purchase I make is a “vote,” as Jane Goodall said in Harvest for Hope (see here for full quote), so I try to buy things that have natural, earth-friendly ingredients, that don’t harm animals, etc.. It’s expensive, so I sacrifice other things, like shoes (man, do I ever need shoes). It’s a bit of a problem — must. make. more. mooleh!

2. CHILDREN’S TOYS, ART SUPPLIES, CLOTHING….

I’m a sucker for cute children’s clothes, and I LOVE seeing their faces light up when I bring home little presents for them. Yup, I’m a giver…. I can’t remember the last time I bought MYSELF a cute tee!

3. YOGA/NEW AGE BOOKS….

Damn you, Amazon.ca. I spend all my yoga-teaching money on more more more yoga books…. WITH THE CLICK OF A BUTTON! I HAVE NO CONTROL!

4. SKINCARE PRODUCTS….

The interior of Pure + Simple — the only people I let TOUCH my face!

If you saw this video, you know how much I love my skincare products…, and you know I buy A LOT OF THEM, and I ONLY buy THESE products. Seriously. Ever since I discovered Pure + Simple, like, 5 years ago? They’re all I buy — makeup, skincare products, and they do a mean eyebrow wax. No Mac for moi! Although, I do use Loreal Mascara….

5. COOKBOOKS….

Lori, the nutritionist over at Cheaty Kitchen, recommended this book. So, of course, with a click of a frickin button, I bought it, and the one for KIDS, too! And, now that I’m mostly vegan (I’ll be fully vegan, I predict, when I finish nursing in September), I’ll need MORE COOKBOOKS! MORE!

6. STARBUCKS GRANDE SOY NO-WATER TAZO CHAI ($5.19/day on a DRINK?? This has GOT TO GO)….

This says, without a doubt, that I have a sweet tooth. Am a SUGAR. ADDICT.

7. BRAS…. This is a recent thing — which tells me I’m moving toward taking better care of myself…. Hmmm…. Very interesting!

8. GOSSIP MAGAZINES….

This goes without saying….

9. YOGA MAGAZINES….

Also goes without saying…. So many great articles on yoga and spirituality. I also like cutting out the funky images and making collages with/for the monkey….

10. MUM MUMS….

Oh. My. GAHHH. Nothing keeps Rascal MUM like Baby Mum-Mums. Whenever he starts crying inconsolably (like when I’m putting him in his carseat…..), I pull one out, and immediately he stops, and reaches his plump little hand out for it…! My life DEPENDS on them right now. Of course, Monkey loves them, too….

11. CHILDREN’S AND ANIMAL CHARITIES

I’m an animal LOVER — what can I say. I’m a PROUD member of WSPA. And, my company Kids Deserve Art, donates to children’s charities whenever possible.

12. MOVIES (we rent a lot of movies)….

We just rented Spiderwick Chronicles and LOVED it! Josh and I both love a good fantasy flick….

13. STUFF I DON’T NEED….

I just bought this today. Can you say, IMPULSE BUY??? It’s a lavender eye mask. Supposed to be very soothing. Wearing it to bed tonight. I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow….

SO, from this list of things I spend my money on, I suppose you can tell I’m a MOM, a very spiritual person, I love animals, the environment, CRACK STARBUCKS ADDICT, a good fantasy, reading, giving. I could probably spend a little less money on books and a little more money on clothes and shoes for moi, like NORMAL WOMEN…. But, I really am FAR FROM “NORMAL” — and I’m totally coo widdat.

What do the things YOU spend money on say about YOU, Gorgeouses?

It’s Canada Day today. And, we here in Canada are enjoying some BEAUTIFUL — hot but breezy — weather! Lots of walking, lots of relaxing, chilling by the park pool, sipping a LOVELY Starbucks Soy Chai Tea Latte….

And, then I had to go to work.

Yes. SOMEBODY in this big ole country had to work today. That’s right. I had to teach yoga over at the studio smack-dab in the middle of the day. A mommy and baby class. LOVE!

OF COURSE, no one showed up because all the moms FOSHIZZLE handed baby over to DADDY and practiced yoga ALONE or sat by the pool with posh sunglasses, pink lip gloss and bonbons…. So, it was just Rascal and me….

And, of course, I couldn’t leave right away, just in case someone showed up late. So, Rascal and I hung out. I did a few sets of sun salutations, shoulder stands, twists, and I rolled Rascal around on the big ball (which he LOVED), etc.. It was FABULOUS. What a treat to have the whole studio to ourselves.

I even popped the new CD I bought at Starbucks (with my Soy Chai Latte) into the stereo….

Yes, you caught me. I’m a closet Alanis Morissette fan. I haven’t listened to her music in AGES. But, I do BUY all her CDs. She’s a great poet, a Canadian SUPERSTAR, and she sings about a lot of things I feel passionate about — the environment, spirituality, peace, love, and so forth.

Rascal and I were surprised to LOVE this song right off the bat — it was GREAT for our yoga practice…. Check it:

Love it…. Love her voice. And, great video to top it off.

Today was quite the Canadian day for me, actually. I got a visit from my patriotic 80-something neighbour (remember her?), which is always a treat (COUUUUGH!), I loved me some Alanis Morissette, and happily read about fellow Canadian Pamela Anderson sticking it to Jessica Simpson. SWEET.

I also fell in love with my little Canadian land…. When Rascal and I got home from our special time together, we joined Monkey and Josh-O in our wee, but so pretty, backyard….

What could be better than that?

Oh, and Gorgeouses….. CURL!!!!

Tonight, we go to it’sgrandma and papa’shere’s for dinner and SPARKLERS! (You have to know by now how much I LOVE sparkles…. Weeeee!) I’ll try to score a picture for you and place it right here:

(Umm…, the dead trees in the background are a forbidden topic of discussion here…. But, ahh, the brillers effects of Canadian Winters….)

FABULOUS day, my Gorgeouses…. Thanks for letting me share, eh?

I am in a weird mood. Kind of still. Sitting hear on my couch. TV’s on (watching Superstar Hair Challenge…). This is one of those days when I have to just write for myself. I have to block out the MILLIONS of eyes (heh) that land on this page EVERY DAY, and just write whatever comes to my mind. Hopefully, it’ll be aiight. But, the idea is that it doesn’t matter. Hopefully, I won’t divulge too much — unguarded as I am in this blocked-out state. Hopefully, it’ll make sense. There’s no going back. This is stream of consciousness. Some things I’ve been thinking about today….

I’ve been thinking a lot about how my path has suddenly shifted. I’ve reclaimed my old spiritual self — the one I lost when I was battling my pregnancy depression. I really think teaching yoga again has brought me back to this state of being. And, I’m so grateful. Because I’m now going to raise kids with this spiritual awareness, positivity, creativity, AND my cheaty little monkey does a MEAN tree pose!

Yoga Girl, by Jennifer Brinley.

After my yoga class today, I bumped into some friends who gave me some wicked-arse news: “Eternal Moments Bookstore is having a sale — up to 80% off — TOTALLY go check it out!” No one really knows this, but, I LOVE this store. It is one of my FAVOURITE places….

You go in there, and you get a STRONG WHIFF of incense — usually lavender (my favourite…not that I’m a huge incense fan, but I do find lavender fabulously calming). And, there are shelves upon shelves of the most inspiring and interesting books. I LOVE going there for my yoga books…. Just today, I bought one of my faves AT reduced price….

I’ve had my eye on this book for a while now, BRIMMING as it is with wonderful insights and information…. And, now, IT’S MINE. HAAARRRRRRR!

I also found this little gem at a CRAZY low prize. Crazy enough for me to…buy it.

It’s a set of “64 affirmation cards” for kids 6-12, by Susan T. Howson. I’ve been looking for something like this for a while now. Since I rediscovered the ole’ spiritual side, I’ve realized I grew up with NO SELF-ESTEEM. I mean, like, ZERO. It’s sooo not my parents’ fault. It was a combination of things. Anyway. Having no self-esteem is DETRIMENTAL to a young girl in so many ways. So, of course, my main goal as a parent is to cultivate my kids’ self-esteem (I’ll talk more about this later this week on Recommends.) Anyway, these cards are the perfect tool! Each card has an affirmation (and illustration) — “I Am [something]” — and on the back of each card is a statement (and illustration) that reinforces the affirmation. The illustrations on front and back are so cute and colourful, and they, too, reinforce and solidify the affirmation. I think it’s totally brillers.

One of the best cards for the monkey right now is this one: on the front, it says, “I am Safe”; and, on the back, it says, “I am surrounded by people who take good care of me.” The poor thing’s afraid of EVERYTHING from spiders to the handheld shower head to fluffs to worms, caterpillars and, alas, GERMS (and I don’t know WHO gave her that fear — unless she REALLY was listening to her mama’s OCD ramblings when she was in the womb…).

I took out the cards this afternoon, and monkey responded as I’d hoped. She LOVES them….

Alas, the reason all the beautiful things in Eternal Moments are on sale is that this secret spiritual haven of mine is going out of business…. I’ll just have to find another….

I know a lot of people think the whole spirituality thing is “hocus pocus” (a phrase a friend of mine used once). A lot of people literally shoo away the idea of yoga when I suggest it to ease headaches or stress or arthritis or whatever, and I’m, like, “okaayyyy.” I just really believe more than ever that we all need to include some sort of meditation in our lives — either in the form of yoga, breathing, visualization, or even walking outside, painting, golfing, or doing any activity that brings us into the here-and-now and renews our perspective on life…. BUBBLEBATHS! CANDLES! MASSAGES! FACIALS! All that counts!

I looked around the room at the end of the yoga class today. Some of my students had taken a seated pose. Eyes were closed and palms were on their knees facing up. They looked so still and peaceful and intent on MEDITATING. They were taking it seriously. I was honoured and so happy to be among these everyday yogis….

Time for bed. This felt good. Journal writing — BLOG writing — another form of meditation…. Fun. Honest. Enlightening. Hopefully, it was aiight for the MILLION eyes…!

(And, hey, did you know there’s a hott contest happening over at Cheaty Goodies? Go enter for a chance to win one of THREE $100 gift certificates to my fave online beauty store!!!)