Where I make real French bread, y'all

Oy, what a day.

Yoga at noon, then much time spent in the kitchen. Did you know that French bread takes, like, 4 hours to make? I didn't. Until I started making it. Nevertheless, it was done in time for dinner: squash soup (butternut, acorn) with chicken thighs. The bread was unbelievably good. As good as - if not better than- the Farm to Market stuff I get at the store. Very labor intensive, especially compared to the sandwich bread I can crank out. But I think I'll make it now and then. 

So now: exhausted. I walked yesterday, and made bread (again). Right now. it's a combo of cooking/baking, workouts/walks/yoga, housework, and working with Henry on reading. That's it. Tomorrow is a trip to see Dad's radiation Oncologist with Addie in tow, because most of the people I know in real life are tools that won't call me back when they know I need a favor. Suck it, shallow soccer moms!

Where I have a good day

It felt strange, to have no kids for so long. I kept thinking I needed to go get someone, and I kept glancing in the back seat while I drove. I couldn't believe how much I got done at home - and went to an hour and a half long yoga class! It was a wonderful day, the first I've had in a long time. We had a 20 degree drop in temps, and it is blessedly chilly out. I adore fall. As much as I bitch about the extremes here in regards to weather, I love the changing of the seasons. There's always something to look forward to. I still hate you west coast bastards with your '75 degrees and sunny' days. Ha!

Henry is slowly starting to read, after much intense help and coaching from us. He read me a book (Goodnight Moon) tonight for the first time. It made my day, not just that he gets it, but to hear the confidence and pride in his little voice. Thrilling, really! 

Addie is soaking in her too-decadent-for-a-four-year-old-bath, and I'm thinking of a walk after she's in bed. The weather is just too nice to pass it up!

Where I go to yoga and get that smug look wiped the hell off my face

I got to have my favorite yoga instructor on earth tonight, so that was an extra special treat. Even though I haven't attended a class in almost 2 years, she greets me like she saw me last week. I sauntered into the studio, totally assured I was going to rock the mothf-ing house. Because, you know, I'm a kettlebell badass. Screw your weeny little poses, I swing heavy balls of steel (hee!)!

It only took about 10 minutes in for me to hit an 'oh, crap' moment. Now, some poses were easier than I remember, like backbends and triangle. I still rock any pose that requires standing on one leg (thank you, 10 years of ballet). But a lot (okay, all) of the lunges, pretty much anything that required my knee or knees to be bent for an extended period of time.... yowch! My knees feel a little on the weak side. They never hurt after Kbs, sometimes they ache after a long walk or jog. Maybe it's just age? Oy.

I did a great shoulder stand, too. Pre-kettlebells, a difficult pose for me. So I'd say I was about 50-50 on how I did. I can definitely tell my upper body is stronger, and my core is, too, but my flexibility? Nonexistent. But it will come back, I'm sure.

I'm hoping for 2 days a week. I think that's reasonable. Now, to be able to fit it in every week. Wish me luck.