I am officially an "empty nester" as of Friday, August 22! I gave my daughter a great big hug and left her outside of her dorm with her brand new bicycle at University of Colorado at Boulder. I walked off without a care in the world-ready to move on into the next chapter of my life...well, that's not quite true. In between the excitement, I had to choke back the tears. I did great too--until I was at the airport. Why did I have to wait to cry until I was in a public place???

Maybe it was because I yearned to draw attention to myself by those who stared as I walked through the airport--then again, perhaps it was so I could part the sea of people who were uncomfortable with my tear-streamed face and get to my gate as quickly as possible...either way, its over. She's loving every minute of it and I am thrilled that my daughter is confident enough to move across the country on her own knowing no one!

And yes, I too am ready to move on...anyone feel like a nice long hike in Colorado??? Just kidding.

I teach a class called willPower & grace http://www.willpowerfit.com/ which was developed by Stacey Lei Krauss. Whether playing sports, working out in a gym, or out running and hiking, I have never found a workout that so completely moves my entire body as this does! It combines pilates, bootcamp, dance, and yoga all while barefoot. Your body is your equipment! If you have the opportunity, I highly recommend giving it a try--you won't be sorry! A definite strength builder...both mind & body!

Wow...has it really been 3 years since I've written here? I am back and raring to go! As I write, my 18 year old daughter is in Egypt with People to People on a Humanitarian Conference. An incredible experience to say the least--and a trip that I will one day take before I kick the bucket! http://ptpigyfhc.blogspot.com/ She is a strong kid--one that doesn't let fear of the unknown hold her back. She plans to leave her mark in this world...you go girl!

It is amazing how perfect skin appears in the magazine photos. Whether it's a photo of a famous actress or a model selling a cosmetic, not a flaw shows through to us-the consumer. And we sure consume it, don't we? Ugh, look at me! I don't even come close...
ahhh, but then we stand in the aisle at the grocery store and get a glimpse of the "star" on the cover of a "newspaper." You know, the photo taken when she wasn't expecting it. Somewhat disheveled, maybe running an errand and POP, there goes the flash of a camera on a perfectly ordinary day (ordinary for us, that is). It's not so much that they look ugly! They look real, reachable, HUMAN! No better or worse than you or I. Too bad the media portrays them so negatively in this light. Even the guys aren't free! Tell me, how does seeing that photo make you feel compared to the prepared photo shoot in the fashion magazine? Personally, it helps take the pressure off for me!