My Husband, the Hoopinator

Hoopin' it up with Dadiji

Satvinder's Dadiji (Mangala's mom, Karing) is visiting this week for spring break. She inspired hooping in the park!
Karing and Mangala hooping in Coronado Park
Knee Hooping by Karing
Kewal learns to hula hoop - super fun!
Kung fu-ping
Hooping Pinky style
Using Pinky as a hula hoop
Unrelated, but amusing - Satvinder getting the most from her gelato

Giving Thanks for Life

As luck/life would have it, today I took Satvinder to school an hour & a half late (something I've never done), which had us arriving at just the right time to attend a Native American blessing that was being held. I never would have known about it if we hadn't gone late so I'm really glad that somehow things unfolded this way.

The blessing was for giving thanks for life and, specifically, the rain/water. It was really beautiful.
Kids watching the set up and little girls rounding the circle with their drums
Dancing
Drumming and offerings in center of circle
This is the end, when everyone got to join in - dancing involved changing directions frequently so it looks a little mixed up. But it was fun!

I loved that all directions were involved - facing east, then west, north, then south...then reaching up to the sky and finally kneeling down to the ground. In that moment, it felt very sweet to touch the Earth.

Giving thanks for life is a beautiful thing.

Weeds, by request

Yesterday we got a citation from the City of Phoenix because the weeds in our yard are too big. This is not a new thing for us - we tend to inspire a couple complaints a year. Living in the desert, we actually appreciate that something green grows in our yard. So there's just not a lot of motivation to do anything about it...until the City (most likely prompted by our neighbors) wags a finger at us.

I mentioned this on Facebook and now people are curious to see the infamous weeds. It's not that exciting. But here they are in all their weedy glory. (But not for much longer!)

Hand Prints

Snippits from Today

Thank goodness for Sundays.
Satvinder and Ananda eating mini-muffins at Tammie Coe Bakery. Man, I love kids - even the simple act of eating a muffin is suddenly adorable.
We picked up this pair of flower clip-on earrings for Satvinder at a yard sale. Fancy!
Satvinder randomly broke into chanting "Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo" at a fountain. (No cookies required!)

Will chant for cookies

Will you chant for cookies? Then you might as well announce it...

These lovely shirts are made of organic cotton and are screen printed with a design hand drawn by yours truly. Sizes for men, women, and children! (Women sizes are flatteringly fitted - foxy, not boxy.)

Come by Yoga Phoenix to get yours in person or order online at:
http://clients.mindbodyonline.com/ws.asp?studioid=3064&stype=43&sCat=26

Even better than the awesome style is supporting a good cause. Proceeds from these shirts go to the Yoga Phoenix capital campaign for expansion of our services to all kinds of people who benefit from yoga - including Seniors with Alzheimer's & Dementia, individuals with traumatic brain injuries, at-risk youth and all the fine folks who come to yoga classes.

Cookie shirt photos by Kim Blake

Farm Field Trip

Satvinder's class went on a field trip to Tolmachoff Farms today. I took a bazillion pictures but here are just a few:
Satvinder and a big turnip that she picked.

The children planted watermelon seeds.

Train ride

Who knew that a box filled with corn could be so much fun?

The Entertainer

Satvinder's Rules for Entertaining with Song:
1. Know your audience.
2. Recognize opportunity: If people are seated and awaiting cake, take your opportunity and run with it.
3. Don't concern yourself with being coherent
4. Throw in some mention of body parts and/or fluids (i.e. eyeballs, poop) - extra points if you call your mom an eyeball
4. Don't be afraid to be your own biggest fan - you're funny and you know it!

Good Morning!

Today - there is a great sense of accomplishment, as we are now on the other side of our annual White Tantric course, here in Phoenix. It takes a lot of energy from a lot of different people to put on this full day meditation course and it is always very satifying to have it done, both from an organizing and participating perspective.

This morning - it is beautiful....sunny, perfect temperature, and slight breeze. Satvinder and I walked hand in hand down the street to our favorite, neighborhood coffee shop, Drip, and had a cream cheese & Nutella panini and lemonade. Can't beat that breakfast or that company.

It is already a great day.

White Tantric yoga warmups - a very full room.