Loralei and wind caves!

Big, big news: we got a kitty!!!

We are still between names so we're not sure what to call her! I'm between "cat" and "loralei," based off on two of my favorites: breakfast at Tiffanys and Gilmore girls! Haha! But convincing Kyle is a completely different battle! 

Anyway, me and Amy were hiking wind caves at usery park last Tuesday and on our way home we came across a "free kittens!" Sign so naturally we turned in... The owners weren't home so we waited... Then went to grab dinner and went back and waited some more. I was exactly three miles from my place when they called! They were home at last! So I turned around, picked up amy again and headed straight back to the house that was 20 something miles away! I got a beautiful kitten out of it so I'm not even mad. 

I believe our biggest fear was Maxx's reaction to her seeing as how he likes to chase small creatures while barking viciously toward them. That being said, after a week I'm pretty sure he's learned he can't eat or kill her... Because she loves to attack his tail... And feet if he's walking past the bed! 

I think he mostly just sees her as a pesky younger sibling... I think I do too.. 

That adjustment has been pretty easy to make however. 

As for the wind caves, the hike was hard in the hot summer heat. I definitely learned my lesson on hiking in Arizona summers. This girl will not be doing many valley hikes, especially if it's past 6am! 

Since this hike I've visited the lovely tonto natural bridge in payson, az!

I'll post that one within the weekend! I also have a little yoga story to tell as well! :) all in time! 

Namaste! 

Falls seven times, get up eight: Seven falls.

I simply cannot believe how busy I've been! With job and hiking and yoga and boyfriend and wow!

I officially don't nanny anymore! 😭 it's sad and lonely but I've filled my time well! 

I only work about three times a week which leaves so much time to seek out adventures! 

So much in my life has changed in the last few months. It's been wonderful and I wouldn't change it for the world!

So one of the hikes I did was with my lovely friend Kendra! Maxx wasn't allowed but it was okay because he would have gotten exhausted. 

Sabino Canyon is located at the base of the Catalina Mountains in Tucson, Arizona. Bear Canyon Trail will actually take you to Seven Falls.
The trail itself is about 8 miles in length roundtrip, depending on if you decide to take the tram or not. We didn't. I strongly urge you do. I urge this because once we started back on the last two miles it is emotionally and physically trying. It's about two miles to the trail and back from it so with the tram the hike is about 4 miles. I will never not take the tram ever again just because the hike itself is long and towards the end, difficult.
So our beginning was the nice paths they have behind the visitors center to the road..  

This road got old fast.
From the road you enter pretty trees and the bases of the mountains. This was a stunning hike. A little hard to follow at times but there were people every where so we could just wait around for a bit for someone to come down and head up.
The trail does require crossing the creek about 7 times(correct me if I'm wrong) and pretty much follows the creek for the majority of the hike. There are many places to sit and sunbathe or relax and have a snack along the way and most of which have large flat rocks to hang out on. 

It's possible to stay dry but I wouldn't recommend that! ;)
Eventually you will reach a point that is all incline. This was the most difficult part for me. Once you get to the top you will be on the side of a mountain. Seriously. It's a narrow path so when we saw a snake we pretty much ran with the risk of falling off. Haha!
After a while, you will see the falls and the swimming holes and eventually will curve into them.
Unfortunately, I lost my all my photos of this portion when I lost my phone to the washing machine. So instead I will show you the picture from pinterest that piqued my interest in the hike to begin with!

I am almost positive that it really only looks like this after some great rainfall because our water was a little less excited and a lot more green! Gorgeous either way!
So we hung out a bit before deciding to head back but the water was way too cold for us to actually swim.
One cool thing was these falls actually lead to a greater fall that feeds into the creek we hiked along. So it was exhilarating looking down and thanks to the wind, a little bit scary! 

This hike was amazing and I would do it again and again if Maxx was allowed! Since he isn't, I might just do it again! 😊

Namaste! 

Side note: bring about $20 on cash for entrance/tram. We went on a free day so I don't know the fees but there were fees! 

Devil's Bridge & Catching Up!

I know, I know, I know!
I seriously slack in finishing things I begin. However, I like to think I just took a break. ;)
I started that new job and things got hectic!
So, in the spirit of catching up I will tell you all about my recent and not so recent adventures but also, yoga milestones.
First of all, I will start with the possibility of great opportunities that are coming up in my family!
Kyle has a second interview in Washington this month! Eeek!! It's exciting because it is an amazing opportunity for him and also, a grand adventure for us!
Secondly, I have achieved headstand! Next on my list is handstand! It requires so much practice but it was so worth it! Breathing is also incredibly important. Every time I forget to breath, I fall.
Thirdly, I have been attending an essential oils yoga class once a week and it is the most amazing class I have ever been to! Every week is different from the last and each time is more incredible. I'm obsessed!
Fourth on my list, I am enrolling(as soon as I find out if we are staying or going to WA) to the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts to receive my 200hr YTT. I'm so excited for that opportunity and it is pretty much the only thing making me hesitate the possible move.
Fifth and lastly(I think), I have visited Sedona for the first time ever. Of course it has kept me going back and the hiking up there is so amazing!

This was my first time up there to hike Devil's Bridge. I was actually introduced to the stunning city by my work friend Amy. She grew up in the area so it's that much better because she just knows things about the region. I am completely clueless up there. She's also very into hiking and we share a lot of interests and I pretty much adore and admire her! She's incredibly independent and makes it look soooo easy, I pretty much look up to everything she does!
Anyway, the hike was fairly easy although the trails are hard to follow. Luckily, the trails are marked well but if you miss the markers, it's easy to get lost...

The view from a clearing just below Devil's Bridge.

The hike itself wasn't difficult until you're climbing up to the bridge. Right about then my thighs were crying. It took us a little bit to realize we were at the bridge but the trail ended and so we looked down and wa la! 

It was incredible. We couldn't stay long because we didn't want to be hiking back in the dark but we stayed long enough to revel in it's beauty! 

Sedona has definitely won over my heart! 

Treasure loop trail (#56)

Time flies when you're healing. Just kidding. That was the longest four days of my life! X-rays confirmed it was just a sprain and the doctor said I could return to normal activities so long as it didn't hurt! Well, my return has been strong! 💪 

I have gotten a new job that works with my nanny schedule! Yay! Front desk reception for a hair salon and I've only worked two days and I already love it to pieces! 

I have been as active as my ankle/foot has let me and friends, let me tell you, it has let me! If you have ever visited metro/east valley Arizona you have either heard of, been to or seen the lovely Superstition Mountains, home to Lost Dutchmans park! So my friend of eight years and I decided to conquer trail number 56! Yep. My post title. Hehe. 

Aren't we darling? But look at those mountains!!!! 

 Of course, Maxx joined us! He loves hiking more than anything a dog can love. 

These dang mountains are breathtaking! Anyway, I've decided that my journey has set aside a path for me that allows me to take these adventures as often as can be. It turns out, that's once a week! I'm so happy with that little revelation! 

On a different yet still related note, I promised y'all yoga. Now, keep in mind I don't know all the poses or even half of them, I don't know know all the names and even all the history! There is SOO much I don't know about yoga and I'm not here to teach you what I don't know. In fact, you will probably teach me more than I have to offer. I'm here because my yoga journey has pushed me to be. Well, that and I love writing and can't seem to find myself writing about anything but yoga. 

This journey has been hard for me because it's so easy to get discouraged. It's so easy to spend five minutes on Pinterest or Instagram and realize that oh me, oh my, I can't even almost do that! That used to scare me so much more than I would admit, failing at this art I was falling in love with. Well, then something wonderful happened. I came across miss Adriene from yoga with Adriene. Not only was she Texan, but she was inspiring! I instantly dove into her videos and loved her "do what feels good," attitude. It's so gosh dang yoga. Feel free to argue that with me but in my journey, short as it might yet be, I've learned that doing what feels good is absolutely essential in everything I do every day! 

And with that discovery, my life has been the greatest adventure. 

I have the biggest problem with doing whatever I can for the people in my life even when I can't. Literally, cannot and should not. Yet, I do. I stretch myself thin to the point of tears and stress that no person with anxiety on my level should do to themselves, ever. But I do it. All the time. I have friends and family with children or that need help with this or that and it never mattered to me if I didn't have the money, time or means to do it, I was gonna do it no matter what. I would be late or stressed or frantic, but I was going to help. I could not say no. It was killing me. That's dramatic but it really was affecting my life, my relationships and my confidence negatively. 

So, doing what felt good was basically a new concept to me. Last summer, I started practicing that concept. That amazing, lovely and life changing concept. And you know what? I said no. I stood up for myself when my family member stood me up in the most awful way at 4am. I took that last straw and tossed it out the window on my way home that morning. I finally began saying no to people when I couldn't help them even if I wanted to say yes. I finally learned to accept help when I needed it. That was probably the most challenging for me, I hate being helped or feeling like I needed help(bless all my poor doctors hearts). People started thinking I didn't like them or I was angry or short tempered because I did stand up for myself so much more. I wasn't. I have been hardly angry unless I actually am angry but usually not when they thought I was. I've been happy. I've been confident. I've been able to breathe. 

I've felt good. 

It amazes me to know my journey has just begun.

Oh and if you ever doubt yourself on poses, give yourself time. I know that's cliche, but time really does fly when you're healing. :) 

Oh, the places you'll go!

Today, the day I'm supposed to begin sharing this wonderful journey with you, I have been presented(so soon!) with an obstacle! 

This afternoon I decided to go hiking on the Mormon trail to hidden valley in south mountain in Phoenix! Well, my descend into hidden valley resulted in a fall that pained my ankle to the point of immediate tears! Of course, being about four miles into this trail I panicked and instead of calling for help, I decided to brave through all the way back! It got dark and cold fast but my pup Maxx lead the way valiantly. I cried. The entire way. 

Anyway, it's hours later and all I can think is, "how soon before I can get out there again?!? Oh yoga! How will I do yoga?!?" 

Well, I'm not a doctor so I don't know if it's a sprain or not so unfortunately, until I know what I can and cannot do, I cannot attempt to get on my Mat tonight. 

In the meantime, before my fall I had a pretty good hike going and found a fantastic yoga rock!

I will also use this time to let you all in on a little background on my yoga journey! It officially began almost a year ago! It will be a year in February. I fell in so much love! Then of course, I got sick and then time happened and then a summer romance of yoga and running took over. 

What a great summer it was! 

So, my journey began a year ago and I'm only beginning to share it with you now because I was missing out on soooo much more about yoga. The mudras, the meditation, the history and the lifestyle! 

I can't wait to soak it all up and I hope y'all are just as excited as I am for this! 

So until next time, namaste!