I HEART SATURDAYS

What another wonderful day at Nurture . A Saturday filled with couples Celebrating Romance with our Couples Massage and the Gals getting together for some much needed R&R with our Be Nurtured Package.

We all had so much fun with the 'Two Jens' today. A couple of Gal Pals that live in different states and decided to meet in the middle, Hot Springs, AR, for a Girl's weekend. We are overly delighted that they found our little Day Spa & Yoga Studio and hope they enjoyed their day of pampering before hitting the pavement to discover more fun activities in the Spa City.

Do you have a friend that you remain close to even though you are not close in proximity? Meeting in the middle is such a fabulous idea. When two of my dearest friends Matt (NYC) and Jessica (TX) come in town it is usually a holiday and everyone has sooooo much going on. It is difficult to find the quality time you have been craving. When you visit a friend, even a very close friend, he/she may end up feeling like more of a host/ess or tour guide than a buddy. Why not meet in the middle, or in the Dominican Republic. Okay, that was a random star crossed vacation where Matt, Pris, and I were all able to vacation together.

Thank You to Jen and Jen for reminding us that taking the time to Nurture our friendships is always fabulous.

Do you have a friend that you remain close to even though you are not close in proximity? How do you maintain your long distance frienship?

Namaste

NEED SOME HELP

The Nurture Gals hit the new Best Buy today to look for a much needed work laptop for yours truly. Momma Jane and I computer shopping goes like this: "this one is cute". We are clearly not the most computer literate people out there and the salesman can probably smell 'easy prey' when we walk in the door. Of course the 'cute' comments surely do not help our efforts.

The Hubs loves his Toshiba and would never buy anything else again. Our computer guru buddy says he would go with Dell . And Momma Jane and I think the Sony's are well, cute.

We are not looking for anything too fancy, do not need a lot of bells and whistles and would prefer to keep the price down without sacrificing effeciency. Is that even a computer term? Not sure. If you fellow bloggers have any suggestions, we would sure appreciate any input.

Namaste.

p.s. HI TAMMYKINS!!!

NURTURE 'SUSTAINED THOUGHT'

"Applied thought is similar to the hand holding a tarnished dish; sustained thought is similar to the process of rubbing it clean with the other hand. The quality of sustained thought inhibits the hindrance of doubt."

Excerpt from Swallowing the River Ganges : A Practice Guide to the Path of Purification by Matthew Flickstein

Doubt can be a very powerful tool to keep us from reaching our highest self. We doubt ourselves, our capabilities, our strengths, even those around us.

How is doubt a hindrance in your life?

HIP HAPPENINGS @ NURTURE

Save the Date for Hip Happenings at NURTURE

2 Hour Candlelight Restorative Yoga
Friday April 7th, 2009 5-7 p.m.
Revel in a 2 hour Restorative Yoga Session focusing on holding postures for onger breaths to ease body and mind deeper into relaxation and restoration. Look forward to a good night's rest following this session. $20 (Members $15)


2nd Annual Mother & Daughter Workshop
Saturday May 9th, 2009 1-4 p.m.



Celebrate Mother's Day together bonding over all things fun, girly, and healthy. Ditch the workout with Revitalizing Zumba fitness , Indulge in a delicious Organic lunch, enjoy a Restrorative Yoga session, and wind down with Stress Relieving Meditation. Sip Hot Yogi Tea while enjoying a women to women discussion on everything from the benefits of Yoga to Going Green. Have a Journal and pen handy to jot down any interesting tid bits. Dress in your most comfortable and stylish workout gear and bring along your Yoga Mat if you have one. If not, no worries, Mats, Blocks, and straps will be available.

$45/ea (Members: $40)

NURTURE NOSHING

Rev up your morning by starting your day with this

SIMPLE SMOOTHIE

Handful of Frozen Fruits (I like organic Strawberries & Blueberries)

Slice up one Organic Banana

Toss into Blender & Puree

Add Ons: Soy Powder Protein, Concentrated Black Cherry Juice, etc.

*Makes a Thick Hearty Smoothie, if you would like a thinner consistency just add Soy Milk until you reach the consistency you prefer)

NURTURE THAT WHICH NOURISHES 'YOU'

Let's face it, up until High School, my window into the world of music was pretty slim. When my friends were jamming out to U2, my parents were taking me to Kenny G. Live. Not that there's anything wrong with Kenny, but he was not the COOLEST artist for my age group at the time. Mixed tapes were all the rage then, but I am pretty sure I received them out of pity, "Oh here you go, you need to hear this." Had it not been for good friends and their diligence to share the love of great tunes, I do not even want to think about what I would be listening now. Scary thought, to say the least.

Pris, one of my dearest friends, introduced me to the Joys of Live Music only a few short years ago. After one Austin City Limits Festival I was hooked. The stories of that weekend will have to be a blog of it's own. However, I will reveal that within those three days I experienced an "Aha moment" that would change my thoughts on Live Music forever.

Imagine my delight when the Hubs and I resolved, early on in our relationship, that Live Music would be, well, kind of 'our' thing. We have taken that mantra seriously by travelling so far as Chicago to see a few of our faves. To say that the Hubs is a music enthusiast is the understatement of the century. Introducing him to a musician he had not previously listened to was quite the feat. And that is how we came to attend our latest Show, kind of. The tickets were a Valentine's Day Surprise, he is an uber thoughtful gift giver. Fortunately, Dallas and Memphis (both can be music hot spots) are only a hop, skip, and a road trip away from the Spa City, so we hit the road to Memphis on Wednsday to Catch The Cardinals featuring Ryan Adams.

All I can say about seeing my number one most favorite Musician, Ryan Adams , for the second time is. . .

Road Trip to Memphis = A pocket full of gas money

Ruined dress due to overly enthusiastic beer drinking fan = irreplaceable

2 rounds of Fat Tire on Tap = Upwards of twenty bucks

Ryan Adams belting out 'Come Pick Me Up' Live = PRICELESS

However, I do so wish for my second time around to see Mr. Adams that he would have graced us with an Encore. Just this once. Just for me. After all it was a SOLD OUT show and the crowd was overflowing with excitement. The energy was truly palpable. Alas no, he is 0 & 2 for encores.

All and all totally worth it, as all Live Shows are Nourishing to our Souls.

Want to be more Proactive about Live Music. . .

Flip through your Local Publications or cruise around online to find which Musician/s are playing Live Shows in your area. Once you are familiar with your fave Venues and Artist/s stay in touch with upcoming shows by following them on MySpace or if you are a City Dweller, check out Metro Mix . Of course, you do not have to venture out just for the Big Names in the Biz, there are an array of aspiring artists everywhere. Go ahead and throw down the extra cover charge at your neighborhood pub, slip into some comfy concert attire (flats recommended), get your dance on, or pull up a chair and ease into the Soul Nourishment of Live Music.

Your stress and tension will melt away with the first few chords and your Soul will Thank You.

Namaste

NURTURE GREENING PART II

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all. While you are decked out in your GREEN attire today think about how you can GO GREEN everyday. After reading The Eco Chick Guide to Life: How to Be Fabulously Green by Starre Vartan I have been inspired to shop GREEN by looking for eco-friendly fabrics such as bamboo and organic cotton. I love cruising around Nimli and Green Loop and have found some super stylish GREEN items. Here at Nurture, of course we love our TranquiliT Yoga Wear and are looking forward to the Spring Line that will be arriving soon. Keep an eye out for beautiful bright colors in your favorite eco-friendly Yoga Togs.


Happy GREENING!!!

Namaste

NURTURE GREENING

If the idea of GOING GREEN seems a little bit daunting at first, take baby steps:

DO: Buy Organic Fruits & Veggies, especially the ones you munch on frequently. Organic foods are more and more easily available in your local grocery stores.

DON'T: Continue to shell out the Big Bucks for designer denims. Here's why, as presented by Starre Vartan in The Eco Chick Guide to Life: How to Be Fabulously Green "The darker the jeans, the more dye is used. Rivers and streams that were once clear are also turned blue when the jeans are washed after they are dyed and the toxic indigo is dumped into waterways."

DO: Read Starre Vartan's The Eco Chick Guide to Life: How to Be Fabulously Green I could not belive all the things I did not know, see above quote.

DO: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Even if you start small by opting for Glassware instead of paper plates, cups, etc you will be making a big difference.

DON'T: Get discouraged before you begin. There is tons of information on GOING GREEN out there, start finding GREEN tips that work for you. Once you get started GREENING you will continue to come across info that motivates you to take more steps towards living a Greener Life.

With the GREENEST of all holidays approaching, my question to you is besides sporting the green color scheme for St. Patrick's Day. . .

What are you doing to GO GREEN in your life?

NURTURE BLOSSOMING

Kimberly Wilson sprinkles this quote all over her sites and I cannot help but tear up a little every time I read it. Such beautiful and powerful words, I had to share...


"and the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."
~ anais nin

I hope these words inspire you as much as they do me.

Namaste

NURTURE NEW LIFE

Mine and Momma Jane's long time friend Stephanie gave birth to a happy and healthy baby boy yesterday. Stephanie has been a blessing in our life for going on fifteen years. She is one of my best friends and in an interesting turn of events became family when she married my cousin Adam almost three years ago. I have dubbed her "my personal life coach" because she is always there for me and whenever I need advice she never fails to say the right thing. Stephanie and Adam have a beautiful two year old girl, Kaelin, and now have a new addition to the family, baby Lane.

I have never witnessed anything so powerful as the miracle of new life. We are delighted to welcome baby Lane Carleson Jester into the world.

NURTURE GETTING WELL

Having been under the weather for the last few days I haven't been up to posting. I am still not tip top after running the gammet of everything from fever & nausia to sinus cold, but thought I would share some tips for those of you who have caught the funk that's going around.

DO: Drink plenty of fluids especially Hot Herbal Tea w/ Honey & Lemon
DON'T: Ignore your daily caffiene routine (unless you want to endure a withdrawal headache along with the other symptoms)
DO: Your best to get plenty of rest and let your body recuperate
DO: Appreciate tons of T.L.C. from loved ones (The Hubs has served me dinner every night, Momma Jane braved the coodies to come over & watch a movie, and my super sweet stepmom Kim dropped off get well goodies including O.J., Fresh Fruit, Kleenex, & Fashion Mags)
DO: Indulge in a soak in a Hot Bath w/ Epsom Salt & Eucalyptus Oil

Wishing all of you health & wellness.

Namaste