Like many people, I periodically fall off the fitness and eating well wagon, typically due to stress and sometimes due to injury. And though I happily resumed exercise once I received my 6-week postpartum clearance, this fall, self-care fell to the wayside due to new home and work commitments. And it's taken it's toll. Not only do I feel a little squishy around the edges, but more troubling, I've felt tired, tense, and well in need of a vantage point beyond my laptop.

On Friday I had a super fun time visiting Laurel's classroom as the Mystery Guest, during which time parents can read stories or introduce the kids to their profession or hobbies. Given that most of my work (writing, editing, graphic design) and recreational (e.g., baking, sewing, learning to play mandolin, etc.) endeavors aren't exactly conducive to in-class demos, I decided to teach the kids yoga. I started by telling the kids what I do for work and then explained that because I spend so much time at my computer, it's important to be active too. And that yoga is a great way to calm down while strengthening the body if you're feeling restless or cranky (hint, hint). I thought it would be fun to share the poses I did with the kids, should you and/or your kids need a little calming and strengthening during the day. Enjoy!

Today, Kate recommends something I also love doing (I'm enjoying my flexibility while I can still see my toes) -- yoga at home: Several months ago, I woke up in the middle of the night with an inspiration. I had been considering whether to sign up for a yoga class -- a practice I have always enjoyed but often found hard to squeeze into my schedule and budget -- but hadn't quite taken the leap yet. And then I figured why not try yoga DVDs at home? They're readily available at my public library in many varieties, can be done on my schedule, and don't require schlepping exercise clothes or dealing with unfamiliar locker rooms. I never thought of myself as someone with the discipline to exercise at home, but I decided to experiment with setting aside 30 minutes in the quiet of the early morning to stretch and sweat (just a bit), and have found that it has paid off in general well being, expense (free!), and convenience. Here are some of my DVD recommendations:

As some of you may know, I took up running last summer and have gotten into it enough to actually run some races. I love the minimalism of running -- you can hit the pavement on your own schedule and can go pretty minimal gear-wise, with running shoes being the major expense (that is, unless you're like some of my crazy barefoot running buddies). But one piece of gear that I was thrilled to learn about and now use regularly is the Moji Knee. I wanted to share my thoughts about the Moji Knee here because it's been great to have it in my running "toolkit" and it also seems as if every week I connect with more readers and bloggers and friends and family who are taking up running.

Kids grow fast and seasonal gear subsequently has a short window of use, so I was thrilled to find these Bladerunner adjustable ice skates (also available in blue) for Laurel. Sturdy and (according to Laurel) comfortable, the skates are available in three size brackets, each adjustable across four sizes, which means we’ll get at least two, maybe even three, seasons out of them. Super fabulous.

Today, Kate reports on a clever way for kids to learn to skate, in the comfort of their own shoes: “I grew up ice skating at the Metropolitan District Commission rink in Brighton, and I can still remember the clamor of the lobby/changing area, the sense of unlimited possibility found by stepping gingerly onto the ice, and the taste of the watery hot chocolate (mini-marshmallows and all) sold at the snack bar.