My life as of late...

What have I been up to lately? Well, I'm glad you asked.  This morning my skater landed a certain jump for the first time (that I have seen)! She has been working on it for weeks now, so it was a proud moment for her and me. I felt as though I just watched my child take her first step.  The correction she made was such a minor one, but it made all the difference. I think this is a good reminder to us: Small changes are just as important and impactful as the big ones.

I have also fallen in love with my 3-year-old twin girls at the Learn-to-Skate classes I teach. It is amazing how innocent young children really are. These girls bring a smile to my face every time I see them. How lucky I am to be their coach!

I love the fall colors in Fairbanks! What a beautiful day it was...

...Until I woke up to snow the next morning! Luckily it didn't stick. 

The weather has changed, once again, but this time it is hard for me to accept! I noticed that I was so cold this morning on my drive to the rink, and I realized that maybe I should wear light gloves when it is 22 degrees outside and there is frost covering the windshield, grass, and trees. Tomorrow marks the Fall Equinox, when there is as much daylight as darkness.  It also marks the day when Alaskans count down until March 21st, the Spring Equinox when the days start to get longer than the night :).  At least I have our anniversary, the holidays, my birthday, Valentine's Day, and the Olympics (!!) in the middle of winter to keep me distracted and give me something fun to look forward to.

Lately I have been training for the Equinox Marathon, a tradition in Fairbanks, and some say it's the most difficult marathon in North America. I am smart enough to run the relay marathon instead of the marathon or ultra marathon.  Well tomorrow is the big race day and I am looking forward to a good time, especially since I get to be on a team with my husband.

I have recently embraced yoga and meditation in a much greater sense than before.  Here are my current favorite ways to relax and de-stress:

1. Take a hot bath with magnesium oil in the water. Turn off the lights and light the candles, and relax. I used to hate taking baths because I thought they were a waste of time, but after I took a magnesium bath this past week, I was hooked. I felt amazing, and I slept better than I have in a long time.
2. Practice yoga. I have a notebook with certain moves that I love, and I also like following yoga flows on YouTube. Currently, my favorite pose to meditate in is called Viparita Karani (click here to see what it looks like). 
3. Take a mid-day nap: I need more sleep than my husband. Taking a 30 minute nap in the middle of the day is a sure way to have a cheerful wife at the end of the day!
4. Take deep abdominal breaths and slowly exhale. This is self-explanatory, but it allows me to "reset" my mind. 
5. Get Acupuncture! Okay, this is so new for me but I am already in love with it. Although I am primarily doing it to help with my fertility, it is so relaxing that it could be good for anyone.

Sourdough pizza crust with homemade basil pesto and
farmer's market tomatoes

I've also been diving into the realms of real food, which is such an adventure, in and of itself.  It has a learning curve for sure, but luckily I have a patient husband who gives me freedom in the kitchen and allows me to make mistakes.  

When I talk about real food, I mean organic grass-fed meats and whole fat dairy products, lots of seafood, eating fermented foods (such as real yogurt, sauerkraut, and sourdough bread),  avoiding grains that have not been either soaked, sprouted, or fermented, and eating fresh organic produce.  It also means no more modern vegetable oils (Green light to real butter & coconut and olive oil!).  

My second loaf of sourdough bread. It was better
than the first!

My favorite part has been the discovery of grass-fed, non-homogenized whole milk. It's like I am drinking milk the way it is supposed to taste.  It is amazing. You should try it.  Eating like this is hard at first, but I have already seen improvements in my overall health.  If you are wondering why I am doing this, the answer is simple: I want to prepare my body to be as healthy as possible for when I become pregnant. For some, parenthood comes easy and quickly. 
But for many, such as myself, it is something that has to be worked for. I am just doing everything I can to encourage fertility. What a wild ride it is! Thanks for supporting me through it all. You are loved :). 

Wild Alaskan Cranberry Relish.
Fermented & delicious!

The start of my sauerkraut! Aren't those jars so cute?!