February Fun Challenge

I just finished reading an article on Huffington Post sent to me by my awesome Yoga guru Sheryl Braun. The article was basically discussing how the yoga community has recently gone from one of acceptance and inclusiveness to one of judgements and cliques. This article came to me at the right time. It's funny how many people I have spoken to recently who have told me just that. They start off by telling me how they have heard about how good yoga is for them. They then tell me how they have tried it before but they aren't sure if its for them. Then as the conversation continues I am told about some story where they have felt ridiculed and/or judged by the class and/or teacher.

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  Obviously, I was not there and I can not say first hand what conspired. However, I do know this. When people say that yoga can be for everybody, what they are really saying is that yoga is for every BODY. And every BODY is not just a physical empty capsule, it is filled with people's personalities, hopes, dreams, insecurities, faults, beauty, love and so much more. As humans it is easier to assume everything should have a certain mold to which it adheres to, this way of thought makes it easier for us to learn and accept new things. However, it also creates shortcomings for new possibilities. If we meet someone that does not fit a mold of what we expect to be, before you judge them, stop to get to know them. Every person has a story. Every person is where they are because of the experiences they have taken. You would be amazed by how much you can learn about others and in turn realize something new about yourself.

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So, I wanted to do something fun in honor of February being National Heart Awareness Month. I challenge everyone to open their hearts to 3 new people a week.  Give them a genuine smile, listen to their story, figure out a way to make their day brighter. And to up the ante, make sure at least one of these people you have never spoken to before, whatever the reason. You'd be surprised that showing such a little form of kindness can sometimes change a person's entire day, week or even life. No step is ever too small if its taken in the right direction.

Sending you all an endless amount of love, sunshine and open hearts! xo

HI from the Hiatus... and a Review

Talk about a hiatus!!! So I am back from the abyss of cyberworld. I know, I just left everyone hanging there. But do not fret! Happy,  healthy, sunshiny thoughts were sent your way on a daily basis!!

Lot's has happened since I was last in this neck of the woods. For one, my little family is growing! Yup! Blame the hiatus on horrible morning sickness. But all is well that ends well, right? Right! So, God willing our home will be filled with more snuggles and giggles mid-2013. Little man is SUPER excited! I know you are probably thinking how an almost 2 year old can even understand! I doubt he fully grasps the gravity of it all, but he enjoys helping me shop for our sweet cinnamon bun.

Next on my radar is our teaching hiatus. Needless to say, sometimes morning sickness goes hand in hand with motion sickness. So, my practice has been sporadic and was almost nonexistent the first trimester. But we are getting back into the swing of things. Yoga mornings, walks at the park, dance parties with our  little man. Fitness can be incorporated in SO many ways! However it is hard to do it all while caring for a toddler and preparing for another one, so our Yoga At The Parks will be postponed until post-delivery and we are no longer accepting new students until the end of my maternity leave (so late summer).

And last but not least, my much anticipated Little Soya review!! Yeah, talk about LATE! ha! Whats Little Soya you ask? Only an awesome gourmet soy sauce that is Gluten-free, contains less sodium, is non-GMO tested and contains no MSG. Yeah, thats a pretty hefty label, but an awesome one nonetheless. The best part in MY opinion is the adorable packaging

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How could you NOT want to try it??  I first encountered Little Soya maybe 2 or 3 years ago. My hubby and i were trying out a new sushi restaurant SushiPop. We got some sushi to go and were given those little guys in our bags. I was FLOORED!!! So much so that I didnt use it and just saved them. Hahaha! Then the next thing I know, they popped up at my local HEB, to which I thought, yay! How fun! Then I took the time to read the packaging. And WOW! I was impressed! You would be suprised by how a meal as healthy as sushi can be ruined by the wrong soy sauce. Some of the ingredients are CRAZY and can completely deter your attempts at a healthier meal. But Little Soya's conscientious attempt to provide you with that little extra to make your sushi munching experience a delight makes me a huge advocate for them.

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So, when I was asked if I would be interested to write a review. I was all for it. Like I have said before, I wont promote it if I don't love it. And in this sushi eating household where even the almost 2 year old can eat with chopsticks and BEGS to go have "sishu" (he cant quite get the vowels straight but we are working on it) you know it MUST be good!

September Foodie Pen Pal

Talk about being a MAJOR space cadet! So today we were supposed to post about our Foodie Pen Pal and I TOTALLY a spaced on publishing my post. I must have REALLY been enjoying the beautiful weather either way, here is the break down of the awesome stuff I got from a lovely Blog Reader Kristin! Here's a peak into what she got me...

First off, how cute is this wrapping????

SOOO many goodies!!! I <3 FPP!!

So I am seriously loving this FPP business! It's like they have eyes into my soul!! :) Every thing Kristin sent was spot on! Hubs is LOVING the PB2, I haven't tried it yet, but I look forward to.  Honey is ALWAYS a staple at our house, so I was stoked to find it in my package. The seasoning is waiting for a fun crockpot night. I'll be sure to post a recipe once I get to it. The fruit strips were gone within a blink of an eye and the organic bar is packed in the purse for a quick snack on the go. The tea??? Well it's like she took two of my favorite types of tea (fruit and rooibos) and married them and sent them to me. All in all I can say that FPP is probably my favorite thing in the whole world right now. THANK YOU Kristin!!!!!

Oh and by the way, did you see the beautiful card she sent me??? I wish that was in my backyard... *sigh*

Now, I bet YOU want in!! No problem, check below for details!!

Here are the Foodie Penpals details:

• On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.
• You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal!
• The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!
• You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)
• Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month.
• Foodie Penplas is open to US & Canadian residents. Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. We’ve determined things might get too slow and backed up if we’re trying to send foods through customs across the border from US to Canada and vice versa.
• If you’re new and interested in participating for September, please CLICK HERE to fill out the participation form and read the terms and conditions.
• You must submit your information by October 4th as pairings will be emailed on October 5th! You will receive a confirmation email within 24 hours if you sign up. IF YOU DON’T GET ONE, send an email to Lindsay at theleangreenbean@gmail.com!

Super Awesome HUGE Giveaway announced!!

Happy October everybody!!!

Houston FINALLY has cooler weather!!! YAY!!! So exciting :) PLUS we are ready to announce our winner of the Super Awesome HUGE giveaway. And the winner is...

*** drum roll***

Leah C. of Love & Shorts!!! Leah, we sent you an email!!!

Next on the October agenda?? Join us and our friends at GrowSoulBeautiful  for the October Yoga A Day challenge!!!

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Have fun with this people!!! Have your friends, sig-others, kids, animals who ever join in on the fun!!! Can't wait to see what you all come up with!! if you decide to join, please tag us #MindBodyandSoulYoga so we can check yours out!!

And last but not least, this Saturday is Yoga At The Park!!!  Join us at 8 AM this Saturday at Bendwood Park for a fun invigorating yoga session!!  Check out our FB event for more info. Our good friend (and fellow 200-RYT) Ana will be leading the practice this Saturday so come and show her your support!!! You will just ADORE her!! I know I do :)

That's it for now guys!  October is going to be awesome!

Super Awesome Giveaway Time!

Are you ready for it? It's here! It's time for the Super Awesome Giveaway I have been promising you!! So, since I planned on posting it last week and I wasn't able to, I''m not going to waste much more of your time. Just remember, in order to participate, you MUST be 18 years or older, have a U.S. address to ship to and you must do what the directions below on Rafflecopter say. Oh and there is only ONE mandatory way to enter. The other ways are all just bonus entries.

So, what will you win?  Here's the break down:

2 foam, turquoise Mind, Body, & Soul Yoga blocks

1 pair of Nectar Sunglasses- Apollo

1 pair of Glyder Apparel crop legging in Lola (size S)

1 Nutrex Pure Hawaiian Spirulina powder

1 Nutrex Hawaiian Astaxanthin

1 Nutrex goody bag of stuff (slouch bag, apron, books about Spirulina and Astaxanthin)

1 Medium Ad Space on Finding My Way In Texas

Thats total prizes of $147.98 y'all!!! I'm so excited about this giveaway!! SO many awesome things! The Glyder gear, nectar shades, SPIRULINA POWDER (no joke, spirulina powder proved to be one of the harder things to find here in Houston. I would ALWAYS find gelcaps but NEVER powder. So, THANK YOU again Nutrex for being so awesome and sending me all these goodies for the giveaway!!), foam blocks from yours truly and last but not least ad space from the super sweet Jennifer at Finding My Way In Texas (if you don't know her you need to go check out her blog ASAP!!)

Finally I want to announce our winner from the other giveaway I held for the Desperado shades. The winner is Kayla C.!!!! Congrats girl! I'll be emailing you shortly to get your info :) Ok, that is it. good luck my friends!!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Nectar Sunglasses

Man oh man am I EX.CI.TED. about this post. I had the privilege of reviewing the NEW aviator polarized Desperado by Nectar Sunglasses. Now, why am I reviewing a pair of sunglasses on a yoga blog. Simple. To me yoga is about finding balance and harmony with yourself and your body. Through that you also learn to respect and nurture it. That is where your eye sight comes in. You only have two eyes people, TWO! So you need to take care of them. I have always been a HUGE advocate of sunglasses and how they protect your eyes from harmful UVA and UVB rays. Not only do they slow down cataracts and macular degeneration, it also is a good way to prevent skin cancer in the area.

So, why polarized? Polarized lenses help to reduce that super annoying glare that can happen as a reflection off an object when driving or doing everyday outdoor activities. This in turn reduces the strain in your eyes. The only problem? Most good polarized lenses cost upwards of $150. I know, I own a pair of polarized Ray-Ban lenses. But having an 18 month old who likes to play treasure chest with mommy's purse makes the idea of spending so much on something that will inevitably get scratched up, impossible. So, I was super stoked when my Nectars came in the mail.

Now let me tell you, I was skeptical to say the least. HOW could $30 lenses do the same job as my $180 pair? Well, I did the side by side test, besides being way thinner no real difference. I did the driving test, no difference.  I did the walking outdoors in the CRAZY SUNNY parking lot, they didn't work as well as my Ray Bans usually do, but then again, they are only $30!! I did the wearing outdoors while teaching a yoga class, BIG difference. What was the difference? The Nectars weigh like 1/3 of the weight as the Ray-Bans which means they are SO much more comfortable on the bridge of my nose.

So, there you have it. Would I recommend these babies? YOU BET! Do I plan on getting another pair? If/when the ones they sent me to review break I sure will!! In fact I might have to sooner because hubby really likes them. The downside to having unisex ANYTHING in my household is that chances are you wont get to keep it because the other person tends to take-over (yeah I'm guilty of it too!)

Want the best part? They sent me TWO free pairs to give to YOU! So, I am raffling off one pair here and one pair will be raffled off in my SUPER HUGE YOGA MONTH GIVEAWAY to be announced SOON!!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

To honor is to take action...

Today, 11 years ago is one that many of us will never forget. Some of us were too young to fully understand the gravity of the events that occurred, others felt it immediately, while others took a while to grasp what it all really meant. Today, as I check Facebook and read the news, everyone speaks about "remembering".  They "remember" where they were, they "remember" what they were doing, they "remember" how they felt. I too replay the day's events through my head anytime I am reminded of "9/11". However, this will not be about me "remembering" the day and where I was, how I felt, what I did.

I am here to ask you to take action. I am here to remind all of us that 9/11 should be used as a reminder that through misconceptions, lack of respect and arrogance, innocent people can lose their lives. Our world would be a better place if we began to respect each others' differences. Our world would be a better place if we began to listen to one another and let ideas and opinions that are different than ours, broaden our own. Regardless of your opinions about September 11, you have to remember that innocent people died. These people were from every race and religion. Evil doing does not discriminate. So today, I hope you did something that would honor those who innocently passed away for this country. Today, I hope you did something that would honor those who are dedicating their lives for this country. Today, I hope you did something that would honor those who work day in and day out to lead this country. Today, I hope you listened to those around you who think different than you. Today, I hope you respected that we are all different, with different opinions and ideas and that the best way to honor and respect each other is to do just that, respect that not everyone will think like you, look like you or even sound like you. That is what makes this country so amazing. Every single one of us (unless you are a Native American) has blood running in them that comes from a country other than the US of A. We all must remember that.

I am not writing this for any other reason than that I have been blessed with people in my life from all different backgrounds and opinions and from all different walks of life. I am one of the lucky few who was born into a religiously and racially diverse family and so right off the bat I was exposed to so many different ideals. It has taught me much about myself and about those around me. But most importantly, it has taught me to respect and idea, even if it isnt mine.

So, I want to say thank you to all my cousins who are Marines, thank you to my cousin who was in the Navy and thank you to my friends who are in the Reserves. I also want to say thank you to the teachers who teach our children and set foundations allowing them to grow up to be men and women who are able to form their own opinions, thank you to the policemen and women who protect us in our own backyard, thank you to our firemen and women who put their lives in danger to save someone from it, and thank you to every person who works for the government. I know I do not say it enough, but each one of you have had to make a sacrifice somewhere in your life to do what you do. And I especially want to thank the families who watch as their loved ones put someone else's life before their own, in hopes of providing a better future for our next generation. I know I do not thank you enough and I may not always remember what was given up to help support the dream that my parents' had when they came to this country. But that is why at least today I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for doing what you do.