A movie that sticks with you

The hubs and I just watched The Life of David Gale.  If you haven't seen this movie, I highly recommend it.  There are not very many movies that stick with you after you watch them, and this is one of them.  It stars Kevin Spacey, Kate Winslet, and Laura Linney.  Kate Winslet is such a great actress.  It is about the touchy subject of capital punishment.  While there are reasons for capital punishment, this movie provides a perfect example of when capital punishment is used under unclear, unnecessary, and just plane wrong circumstances. 

Other than watching movies every evening before bed, I've been practicing my Spanish every day.  I go to school from 9-1 every day and then come home and study until 6.  I've even started "studying" while running on the treadmill.  My "studying" is watching Plaza Sesamo (Sesame Street) on the iPad and running at 7.1 mph on the treadmill.  (I'm back at it!)  After my run, Jade and I go to Power Yoga 3 or 4 times a week.  Did I mention that not only is the class Power Yoga but it is also Bikram Yoga?  Needless to say, we are soaked with sweat and look like literal Hot Messes by the time we get finished.


I love doing yoga because it clears my mind, cleanses my body, and helps me release all my worries.  At the end of the class we always send out good, positive energy into the universe and it's my way of trying to help all my friends and family who are hurting.

Ah... Aren't yogis such peaceful creatures!

**My goal is to be able to do this pose.

I'm so thankful for my awesome husband who is giving me the opportunity to study Spanish again and who helps me keep my body and mind healthy!  Love you Jade!

I sent him this picture yesterday to tell him how much I love him, and because it is just too cute!

Another must read!

"True nobility isn't about being better than anyone else; it's about being better than you used to be." -Unbearable Lightness

 


I finished another book a couple days ago.  I've been sitting on the idea of creating a blog post about the book, because it is such a sensitive subject. The book I finished is Unbearable Lightness by Portia de Rossi.  In this book, she writes about her struggles with her eating disorders and her negative self-image.  She not only discusses her battle with anorexia and bulimia, but also her disordered eating patterns.  I'm convinced every woman has had at least one of these problems in their lives.  If it hasn't been a full-on eating disorder, every woman who has been on a "diet" has disordered eating.

Portia writes, "Diets that tell people what to eat or when to eat are the practices in between (starving and bingeing), and dieting, I've discovered, was another form of disordered eating."

..."Ordered eating is the practice of eating when you are hungry and ceasing to eat when your brain sends the signal that your stomach is full."

When I first started reading this book, I kept thinking how much I related to how she felt when I was growing up.  I always felt like nothing I ever did was going to be good enough.  In another excerpt from the book Portia writes, "Even when I took first prize, topped the class, won the race, I never really won anything.  I was just merely avoiding the embarrassment of losing."

Portia goes into great detail about her struggles with her weight and her eating disorder while a cast member of Ally McBeal.   She discusses her "rock bottom" from 82 pounds to 164 pounds in a matter of months.  I highly recommend this book for anyone struggling with self-acceptance, and as a form of treatment from an eating disorder.  I think my favorite part of the book is when she show pictures of herself and underneath those photos, she says she's diagnosed with

Osteoporosis

Cirrhosis of the liver

and, Lupus

And that's what skinny looks like.  Osteoporosis, liver cirrhosis, and lupus.

While Portia is fully recovered, and her body has also recovered, there are many others struggling to find help and support.

Portia writes...

"Healing comes from love.  And loving every living thing in turn helps you love yourself."

"You don't have to be emaciated or vomiting to be suffering.  All people who live their lives on a diet are suffering."


"I'm grateful that my body doesn't restrict me from doing my job the way I restricted it from doing its job."

Love yourselves.  Be good to your bodies.  Don't measure your worth on what you look like, but what you accomplish.  Try to leave this world a better place.

HELP! I need your opinion!

Before Jade and I moved to Playa del Carmen, I contacted HGTV House Hunters to help us find a place to live in the Yucatan. 

Don't you love House Hunters International?


I've been talking to them recently, and they want to feature Jade and me on their show.  The secret behind the show:  it's retrospective.  So they film the apartment we already picked as if we were choosing between three options.  Jade and I will be on camera filming our lives now in Playa, and our lives in Kansas.  I will be shown doing normal, everyday things like going to the grocery store and chatting with friends.  Then we will be filmed "searching" for the perfect apartment. 

So... What do you think?  Should we do it?  Can I get my husband on board if I wanted to do it? 


PS... To sweeten the deal, we get a small stipend.

Necisito practicar espanol!

I started Spanish classes today.  I must say, my Spanish is terrible.  I could barely spit out my age, height, weight, and if I'm pregnant.  Okay, I just made up that last part.  I wasn't really asked if I was pregnant, but I was asked what birth control I use.  Mexicans are nosy!  Apparently, no question is off limits.  Now, in full disclosure, this question was not asked at the school.  It was asked at the nail salon.  When I told Jade about it, he said he just assumed that's what girls talk about with complete strangers at the nail salon.  Um, yes honey.  And when we have sleepovers, we have pillow fights in our lacy panties.  Ha!  In his dreams.

Now, to say that Mexicans are nosy is an unfair statement.  Conversations with them are just different.  No question is off limits.  Mexicans in general are much happier people than US-ians.  I think it's because they can be more open with each other.  Or it's because their work days starts around 10; with a 2 hour lunch/siesta break; and they end the day around 4.  Much better than our 9 hour working days, dontcha think? 

They also never have to pay for childcare because they bring their children with them where ever they go.  Seriously, EVERYWHERE!  Midnight at the bar, guaranteed to see a baby in a stroller.  10 o' clock at night, toddlers are learning to walk in the park.  Family of four with only a moped.  No problem. 

Hey, at least the adults have helmets on.

Jade and I are off for another night of power yoga.  Buenas noches chicos!

Things I miss

We've been in Mexico for a little over a week now, and there are a few things I miss.  I miss my:

1.  Ice maker- Because you can't drink the tap water here, we can't use our ice maker.  I guess we could pour water into little ice cube trays and put them in the freezer, but that just seems like too much work.  Maybe I'm really, inherently lazy.

2.  Bounty paper towels- Aren't cheap paper towels the worst.  You grab one because you spill your juice all over the counter, and the nonabsorbent, crappy, little quilts just push the juice down the front of the cabinets and all over your shoes.

3.  High thread count sheets... and my Tempur-Pedic... and any mattress cover not made of a pathetic fiber they call nylon.  I seriously feel like I'm on a slip and slide when I get into bed.  Which makes the bedroom more fun, but less romantic.

* I kinda hate how much they are enjoying that bed.

4.  Not having to pick up Ace's poo- We used to have a nice wooded area near our home in Lawrence where I would take the dogs and run them off the leash.  They could do their business, and since we were in the woods, I just left it, see above, inherently lazy.  Now that we live in a real city, I am forced to bend down and pick it up at least 3 times a day!

And Ace is not a small dog... which means big... you get it

* I know celebrities...

even Eva Longoria, pick up their dog doodie, but EW!

5.  Friends and family- I miss being able to call up a friend or one of the many wonderful women in my life to meet me out for dinner, drinks, shopping, or even a workout.  Jade is my only friend here right now, and that's a little tough.  

6.  My baby Bella-  Because Jade and I moved with as much stuff as we could fit in our suitcases, and Jade's computers, and our scuba stuff (we looked like a gypsy camp), we were only able to take one dog.  And because Ace is so naughty, he could not be trusted with anyone who also has any other animals.  Both my Mom and my Sis offered to keep one dog for me for a few months, until I fly back, so my Sis kept my Bella.

Mommy, Daddy, and your brudder miss you and your slobbery kisses!

 7.  OTB Salsa and Queso-  I've eluded in previous posts about my love of OTB and their appetizers.  Contrary to popular belief, Mexicans really do not eat chips and salsa, creamy queso, or burritos.  They actually call this type of cuisine muy extraño, or very exotic!  Sure, I can get salsa here.  I can even get queso, burritos, and nachos here, but I can't get OTB salsa!

I'm sure I will think of more things that I miss, but we are heading to go eat some gringo food, like nachos, and watch the Patriots put it on the Bronchos!  I'm really only cheering for Tom.

I sort of hate the Patriots... so goooooooooo Tom!  (Picture me saying this while wavy my imaginary pom poms and doing a high kick!)

Charles Dickens vs Tina Fey

I love to read.  When I lived in Vegas, I was part of a book club with some of the most important librarians in the city.  Seriously, this is true!  Jade and I even started our own book club, but after a few books, it sort of fell apart.  I'm not sure if it was due to our passive attitudes or Jade's ADHD when it comes to reading.  He consistently has about 5 or 6 books that he reads at a time.  He even switches from one book to another in the same night.  Well, we finally got with the 21st century and bought Kindles last year.  Since then, my library has expanded exponentially, and I decided reading the "Classics" was going to be one of my goals.  Plus, Oprah put Charles Dickens on her book club, and anything Oprah tells me is cool, I will obediently follow. 

** I miss you Oprah.  Come back!


Within the last few months, I've read A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations.  I just finished Great Expectations two days ago, and honestly, I was really unimpressed.  First, I took me FOR-EV-ER to finish.  Here are a few quotes I really liked from the book.

"Throughout life, our worst weeknesses and meannesses are usually committed for the sake of the people whom we most despise."

"Mrs. Joe was a very clean housekeeper, but had an exquisite art of making her cleanliness more uncomfortable and unacceptable than dirt itself.  Cleanliness is next to godliness, and some people do the same by their religion."

A Tale of Two Cities was great, but for some reason, I can't seem to find where I left my favorite lines.  They were both very serious reads, but HEY, now I can say I read some of the "Classics," and Oprah, may you know how powerful you still are!

Well, after all the "serious" reading I've been doing, I chose a lighter form of literature.  Bossypants, by Tina Fey. 

This book had me LOL-ing the entire book!  I definitely recommend reading this one.  The book is from Tina's very hilarious sense of humor, and you can tell it is sincere.   It also has a serious message in it about what it's like to be a working woman and mom in today's workplace.  I couldn't put it down.  I finished this baby in 2 days.  So much for the classics... 

Dickens vs Fey... Fey for the KO!

vs.

Up next... Unbearable Lightness, by Portia de Rossi. 

It finally happened

Last night, after my hour on the elliptical and my run home in the torrential downpour, I felt it coming on.  Yep, my first Mexican cold.  It took me what seemed like hours to fall asleep, and I woke up in the middle of the night and decided I needed something to help ease the pain.  Unlike my husband, I decided not to chug the bottle of Nyquil, but carefully measured out the correct dosage.  Yes, I'm a nerd on another level.  After my 1Tablespoon dosage, I looked like this...

Or perhaps, I slept like this...

Needless to say, I did not get up to workout this morning, but I still plan on hitting my yoga class tonight.  I can finally go down stairs and sit down without cringing, (don't you love being sore), so it's the perfect night to sweat this cold out.

I just completed 2 Sections of my Scuba diving coursework through PADI.  Jade has me pushing my limits everyday.  I can't wait to be able to get started and feel comfortable and confident in the water.

Maybe not this comfortable...

But doesn't this look awesome....

Still no internet!

"We will get the Internet my Friday", was what Cablemas said!  And if Mexican cable companies are anything like the US's, I'm sure they will be on time!  Ha!  Besides not having the Internet, we also don't have a printer.  I'm pretty much doing all my work in a little shop that makes copies, let's you make international calls, and post Tweets.  You meet some real characters here.  But as different as Mexico is from the US, Playa del Carmen has some surprising similarities and differences.

First, some of you may know my OCD tendencies toward cleanliness.  One of the first things I went out and bought were cleaning products.  Guess what they call Mr. Clean here?? 

Could I even make this up if I tried?

In Starbucks, they don't have our regular Holiday flavors of lattes.  (Pumpkin Pie Spice is the best)  But they do have Navidad flavors.  Like Cherry Mocha.

Not sure if I have the guts to try this baby.  Any Mocha latte flavor is WAY too harsh on my ole' belly.  And after reading the nutrition facts, I'll stick to my Tall, skinny, vanilla latte. 

Since arriving, one of my goals is to get into better shape.  This includes, losing some of the holiday weight I put on, and gaining back some of my muscle and strength that I tried hard to lose for my wedding OVER A YEAR AGO!!  In my defense, I looked very feminine without my big guns bulging out of my silk dress.

Jade and I took the first steps towards our goal.  Isn't keeping a goal much easier when you have a partner?  Sunday we ran and did a plyometric workout on the beach.  We had beautiful scenery, and beautiful bodies in tiny bikinis to motivate us.  On Monday, I finally ran and did hard weights, and on Tuesday, Jade took me out swimming against the current in the crystal clear blue water of the Caribbean!  It was difficult, but so nice to be outside.  Last night, we did a Power Yoga class at our new gym, and it was fabulous!  Our instructor studied English in Kansas, but moved back here for a little more entertainment.  What!  Atchinson, Kansas isn't the most exciting place??  We woke up this morning a little sore, but we both are going to try to do Power Yoga again tonight  I keep telling myself, we'll be tan and toned by the time we have visitors in March!  I miss my friends and family very much.  I can't wait for us to have visitors!

Below are a few pictures of our place.  I have a photo of both of our bedrooms, king size beds oh yeah, but they were too messy for my to post on here.

Nos vemos pronto!  We'll see you soon!

Sitting in a Starbucks, Reflecting

I know, I know. It's been about 10 THOUSAND years since my last post. Can I just say I have a really good excuse, or about a million of them? First, it was the crazy holiday season. Ours was turned a little upside down with family drama, changes in travel arrangements, and packing and moving out of our house. Thankfully, the weather has been beautiful, which made all the commotion so much easier to deal with. Did I mention that I have the most amazing family and friends ever, who have totally helped us in any way they can? From letting us sleep over for a couple of nights, to watching our pups, to helping us pack, to driving us to the airport when our transportation service doesn't show up. Jade and I are so blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives. And I'm NOT just saying that because they are family. You have to love and get along with your family, but these people, I truly like to be with.

The Mr. and I packed up enough clothes that could fit in a suitcase and moved to Playa del Carmen this week. We've been going non-stop since arriving, and I finally feel like I have time to breath. Everything is set up in our place, except the Internet. ( Which is why I'm sitting in Starbucks). It's been a hectic few days, but I'm so glad we are here, and away from the bad energy I felt in Kansas these last few months. I truly think, being close to he ocean is how humans were meant to live. I feel rejuvenated and energized every morning when I wake up. I even think my Bulldog likes all the walks and attention he gets from everyone here. Seriously, Ace is a chick magnet!! All the girls come up to us and say, "Es muy guapo!" or "Que hermoso!". All the men here can't believe we fixed Ace. They say, "Porque??" and "Pobrecito!"

This morning, we had a short little workout on the beach. It felt good to get out and sweat for a bit. We've been walking around so much, but this was this first time I ran since Christmas.

I promise to post pictures of my new "gym" and apartment as soon as we get an Internet connection in our place. Warning: it may cause jealousy! For now, I leave you with the cutest smooshy face there is. This picture was taken right before Ace took the long journey to another country on the cargo compartment of a plane. So precious!!