Raspberry Oat Bar Recipe

It was a cold rainy day day in Virginia, which always puts me in the mood to bake.

This is one of those delicious bakes that can double as a dessert and breakfast. Win-win!

{Fresh raspberries are optional. The jam alone is good enough. I used Wegman’s organic jam}

Bake for 34-38 minutes. Let cool, and then cut into squares.

{I sprinkled powdered sugar on top.}

They turned out great! My kitchen smells amazing, the clean up was easy, and the husband loved them!

What are your favorite fruit baked recipes?

xoxo

Shelsea

Adventures of a Pregnant Yogi

One (of the many) things that Yoga has given me is a hyper awareness of my body. I remember almost instantly just knowing that I was pregnant. One night my husband suggested we get a bottle of wine along with the movie we rented. I told him that I couldn’t drink because I thought I was pregnant. He looked at me like I was crazy as it was too early to even take a test yet.

Sure enough, some time in July when I took that little test, I found out that I was indeed pregnant! We were beyond excited, yet a little shocked that it happened so quickly. We felt blessed, and I went into my “research everything pregnancy and baby” mode.

At first, teaching yoga and barre was difficult. I was feeling nauseous and tired. Luckily, I didn’t suffer from morning sickness like most women I know have. I was just the pickiest eater and has some weird cravings for things I wouldn’t look twice at normally. Blue Gatorade and Hot Pockets anyone?! Gross. Teaching ended up making me feel so much better. After teaching class I was energized and felt less nauseous every single time. I’m so grateful to have a job that makes me feel so amazing!

We had a big trip to Europe planned for our honeymoon. We had gotten married in November of 2014, but planned on going to Europe in September of 2015 to get a great deal and be there when the weather was nice. At first I panicked a bit thinking about traveling for 10 hours on a plane while preggers. We went just as I was going into my second trimester, so my energy had improved a bit and my nausea had subsided. We hiked a lot and indulged in our daily pastry and gelato. It was wonderful to travel but doing it pregnant did have some set backs. Like missing out on the Italian Wine in Cinque Terre! Ugh!

Nice, France

Gelato in Italy

{Our trip to the South of France and Northern Italy}

Now, I’m in my 25th week of pregnancy and I can say, it’s been an interesting ride. The things I’ve heard from people… All I can say is it’s been pretty entertaining. I’ve heard things like “Man you don’t even look that pregnant.” to “How far along are you?… Oh wow, that must be a big baby then!” to creepy men hitting on me in Starbucks. Um buddy, don’t you see the ring on my finger and this big belly sticking out?

I’m lucky to have a cousin who is pregnant and due the same week, as well as a great friend who is due just a few weeks after me. It feels good to have a support system and people who I can compare notes with. Who knew a baby registry could be such a hard task?! There are so many things to think about and to discuss with the husband. He has been wonderful and so supportive. We have come to love the Montessori philosophy and feel that we want to raise this baby girl using some of these methods. (More on that in the next blog post).

{With my cousin, Kim who has almost the same due date}

It’s all been great so far, and we are counting down the weeks until my due date! For those wondering, I keep getting the question “How long will you continue to teach?” My plan is to teach until March 1st. After the baby comes, I will be back to teaching at places where I can bring her along with me, or on nights/weekends when my husband can be with the baby.

To all the mamas out there: What was your pregnancy like? What were the best parts, the funniest things you’ve heard, or the hard things you had to decide on? I’d love to hear your comments below!

xoxo

Shelsea

 

 

 

Hello Again!

It’s been quite some time since I’ve blogged here. I started this blog three years ago. It always felt good to create- there is something about having freedom of expression that is liberating. I am not a professional writer, I barely edit these posts. I just come from a place of authenticity and hope that my words help people along the way.

I am back with new intentions! I want to continue some random posts of motivating thoughts but also bring more to this blog. I would love to share recipes, personal stories, and yoga/barre exercises that I am currently teaching in my classes.

So much has changed in the past few years since I have written here. It’s amazing to look back on my Goals post and see how far I’ve come and how I’ve accomplished a lot of these goals. Always write down your goals people! For an update: I’ve hosted a Yoga Retreat in Costa Rica, I went to Europe, got that puppy I always dreamed of, and found and married the man of my dreams. I feel lucky and blessed. I would love to continue to share my journey and use this space as an outlet for creative thinking and expression.

xoxo

Shelsea

5 Ways To Keep Calm and Carry On

“You can’t always control what happens, but you can control how you react.”

This is always something I think of when I find myself getting upset over something small. But emotions are emotions and sometimes things just piss you off.

Five ways to not let emotions get the best of you:

1. Acknowledge how you feel. See it, feel it, let your face get hot and that knot in your throat stay there for a little and just feel it. Accept whatever comes up and it becomes much easier to let it go.

2. Focus on your breath. Notice when your breathing becomes restricted. Deepen your breath.

3. Express how you feel AFTER you cool off. Never ever express yourself in the heat of the moment.

4. Take a walk outside. Get some fresh air. Appreciate nature. Soak up the beauty and good energy around you.

5. Find gratitude. Think of three things that either make you happy, bring you peace, or give you that amazing feel good feeling!

After all of that then go back to whatever it is that seriously effing pissed you off and chances are it wont be all that bad anymore.

Having complete control over your emotions may sound like some wonderfully divine buddha quality, (especially when some bitch cuts you off in rush hour traffic) but following these five steps will help you keep calm and carry on.

Om, peace, ahimsa.

xoxo

Shelsea

Push Through Fear

Fear. That ugly thing that destroys us. It shreds our dreams, holds us back, and prevents us from living a life we really love.

Sometimes it’s comforting to hold onto fear. It gives us an excuse to stay nestled in our little safety zone.

What would happen if we dropped fear and just lived? If we acknowledged it, and then pushed through it…

Eventually that fear will disappear and you will realize that things aren’t so bad as you terrifyingly envisioned them to be.

Everything worth experiencing comes with a little bit of fear. It’s up to you if you want fear to hold you back, or if you want to push through it and live the life you’ve always imagined.

xoxo

Shelsea

Little Things

It’s the little things.

The little things are those that really matter.

The little things that we sometimes barely notice, are those that make such a difference in our lives.

A few days ago my cute little dog scratched me right in the eye. I lost vision in my eye for the rest of the evening, and woke up in serious pain. Losing something that was so small, yet so big- was eye opening.

The little things like having clear vision or being free from pain are those in which we don’t always think about or fully appreciate.

Unfortunately, most of the time it’s not until we really lose something that we fully appreciate what we once had.

Luckily, sometimes it’s just a small loss and we are back to normal in no time.

Appreciate what you have now, for it’s those little things that are the big things.

If we fully appreciate what we have on a whole new level, what would change?

What would you be more likely to pursue or accomplish?

xoxo

Shelsea

Know Your Worth

Do you know your worth?

Do you put yourself in situations that you know in your heart are not good for you, but you still roll with it anyway?

I’ve had two conversations in the last 24 hours with girlfriends who are putting up with SHIT. They allow themselves to be in situations with men who treat them poorly. They give and give and give…Yet they get nothing in return. Both of them are blind to the fact that these men are just not that into them. They let things slide because they claim that they are “not taking things seriously”…It’s just fun and games. Yet these fun games cause them tears. I tried to explain to both of them that they are using valuable energy. Wasting this energy and spending it in places that only cause heartache in the end.

What causes us to stay in situations that are no longer serving us? We all do it. Whether it’s a job that drains us or a relationship that is unhealthy, we have all been there. If we knew how valuable our energy was would we be more careful spending it in places that are undeserving?

If we let those situations go…If we simply walked away from them and moved on to spending our energy in richer places, how would our lives change?

Pay close attention to the people and situations you spend your energy on. Spend more energy on the things that light you up, and less on those that drain you.  Remember, you are worth it.

xoxo

Shelsea

Confessions of a Yogi

I woke up fairly early this morning for a Sunday. Feeling motivated (not hungover) and ready to get sweaty on my mat, I headed to a local hot yoga studio….

I’m a yoga instructor. I drink. I eat meat. I sometimes fear that I will fall on my face and break my nose in handstand.

While in class today I became really aware of the thoughts running through my head. Yeah, yeah… Your mind is supposed to be completely clear. Bull. Shit.

Here are some of the thoughts that came up in my Yoga practice….

Yoga Instructor: “Inhale, Exhale…”

My Brain: “Man, I am so glad I’m not hungover today.”

Yoga Instructor: “Bend over, let your head relax.”

My Brain: “Is he looking at my butt?!”

Yoga Instructor: “Engage your core, stay strong.”

My Brain: “Ahhh this fucking sucks, my shoulders are burning!!!”

Yoga Instructor: “Okay, we are going to help each other out next so find a partner.”

My Brain: “Seriously, this partner yoga shit, really?! I just wanna be by myself, in my zone…on my mat. Ugh who’s gonna be my partner…She looks normal…Okay, this isn’t so bad.”

Yoga Instructor: “Move through this flow…”

My Brain: “Mmmm I can’t wait to get home. I’m gonna make some turkey bacon, and scrambled eggs.”

Yoga Instructor: “Inhale, Exhale…”

My Brain: “Why does bacon smell soooooo goood?! I wish I was inhaling the smell of bacon right now.”

Yoga Instructor: “Now stretch your legs down to the bottom of the mat..”

My Brain: “Hmm this yoga instructor is kinda cute, he probably loves his job. There are so many chicks in this class.”

Yoga Instructor: “Close your eyes, relax..Time for Savasana.”

My Brain: “Finally. Ah I feel so good. This is why I do yoga. Ah yessss.”

So there it is…. My brain is just as active as yours. Yoga Instructors aren’t all perfect. We don’t all live in caves and meditate for 50 hours at a time.

It’s natural for your mind to wander. And it’s always fun to laugh at your thoughts as they come up.

What do you think about in yoga class?

xoxo

Shelsea

Acceptance

You know that unsettling feeling when you are in a situation that you want so badly to change….

What would happen if you found a way to fully accept whatever that is?

As I taught a yoga class the other night I saw a woman get so frustrated with herself because she couldn’t physically get all the way into a pose. She was huffing and puffing and her face was scrunched up like she just put a bitter lemon in her mouth.

It was so hard to watch. If she accepted where her body was in that moment, she would have felt so much better.

When we let go of the things we can’t change, we also let go of frustration and tension.

We gain power.

We are much better off creating a space of full acceptance than running around trying to change everything or pushing our bodies into positions that can leave us injured.

Acceptance is freeing. It’s a state of liberation where things no longer feel stiff or rigid.

When we let things be….

That is full acceptance.

xoxo

Shelsea

Waves

Can you recall a dream that was so powerful that it stays in your mind for a few days, weeks, or even months after?

I’ve had this intense reoccurring dream where I’m walking on the beach and a HUGE 20 foot wave comes crashing over me.

Water rushes over my body, yet I’m able to stand still. I dream that I am under water for just a few seconds and then all of a sudden I’m standing there on a calm shore again.

When the wave is coming at me I have this sense of fear and panic, and then afterwards I feel refreshed, thankful, and powerful.

Life comes and goes in waves.

No matter what rushes towards you, it is so important to stay grounded. You may lose your breath or feel fear from time to time but know that even the biggest, strongest waves subside.

Remember to soak up those calm peaceful times. Enjoy every moment for exactly what it is. Those big, scary waves only make you stronger.

xoxo

Shelsea