Biggest News Ever

Wow...it has been weeks since I've updated my lovely blogeroo with a new post. 

Since then, big things have been happening in bidaboo's life! Big Big Things!

I just spent 16 days in a canyon in Santa Barbara at a yoga teacher training program. 

Really! I flew over to California, a state I had never been to but always wanted to visit, took a cab ride that wound up and around a mountain, and arrived in the woods with 29 other yogis. I stayed in a yurt, hiked (okay walked on an elevated dirt road where I almost stepped on a 3ft snake) up and down every day, spent a lot of time in a jacuzzi and a sauna, and learned how to be a yoga teacher from the West's most influential yoga couple. 

It was incredible. Much more so than I thought it would be. It was such a breathtaking environment I know that my words wouldn't do it justice. The people were all so inspiring. We were cooked three big veg meals a day and even had dessert a few nights. We slept in yurts (or cabins) with spiders and other wildlife, getting up to pee in the middle of the night with a flashlight and a bathroom with a glass wall. We practiced for ourselves and then we practiced to break down poses. We learned some thai yoga massage by giving and receiving it. We adjusted each other. We definitely laughed. I cried. The girls got rooster feathers clamped in their hair. We drove to town to shop (so yogic!). We had some therapeutic snuggling with a sweet pitbull named Maizy. And, while a lot of people had experiences with ticks- for once, I did not! Now that I'm home I have some classes to teach but I'm done with my 200 hour training! I'm so glad to be home with Ben, we hadn't been away that from each other for that long since we started dating 5 years ago...but I miss everything about where I was too. I'm so glad that I let myself do something out of my comfort zone and I know it will change my life, it has already!

The other news is that yesterday while I was having my 27th birthday we...got...engaged!! Ben chose the perfect ring all on his own and surprised me with it as soon as I woke up yesterday morning. Some people have been waiting for this for years and while we've talked about it a lot before, now was actually the right time. Everything about it was so perfect. We're both giddy! Now, if people will just stop asking me if we have set a date. We're both just basking in the happiness that is our engagement. 

ew my hand looks scary, but the ring is so SPARKLY!

isn't it the best ring you've ever seen!?

(iphone photos of the ring taken yesterday while freaking out so i'm sure i've emailed and texted it to most people! since i came home to a broken computer i don't want to take the photos off my camera and trust my computer to not die completely. these meh photos will have to do for now, you get the idea).

Also I really appreciate all of the loving words and congratulations from everyone. I don't think I've ever heard so many Happy Birthday's, and we both love how happy everyone is for our engagement. I am really missing friends and family right now and can't wait to celebrate our great news in the future when we can get back up north...someday. Thanks everyone for your love! 

beads, beads, and more beads

all of our plain beads so far... 

Carnival is going strong. Rain and issues with the police being able to keep everyone safe made the parades have to change some routes, times, and days. Today Krewe of Tuck moved up to 10am and Krewe of Isis followed them immediately after. The rain started coming down pretty heavy during Isis but that only made it more fun!

The rain kept us inside watching movies, snuggling, practicing yoga, making snacks, and also sorting through the hundreds of beads that have piled up on our floor. There are so many I can't even count. But, I did sort them into three piles: plain, cool shapes/colors, and super fun ones. So, before we go out tonight I thought i'd show you how awesome some of the mardi gras beads are. We've caught some good ones. 

i like the crown, beer bottles, die, fleur de lis, and ones that spell muses

the dancing with the muses square flashes but i love the pink necklace with clear high heel

oooh my favorite is the black and gold footballs & fleur de lis!!

Babylon one lights up in 4 different colors. Also the blue high heels from Muses rock.

how awesome are these beads?! crawfish hot sauce, oysters!

And it's only Saturday...Tomorrow Endymion and Bacchus both roll out!! I'm overwhelmed just thinking about that. Plus there's Thoth, Okeanos, and more. We'll probably have double this number of beads by tomorrow night. Then it's Lundi Gras and then Fat Tuesday!!! Mardi Gras!!!!

#FF

It's follow friday on Twitter so I thought i'd make it follow friday on Blogger too :)

If you read my blog please click follow and leave me a comment here. Let me know what you like, dislike, want to read more of, or just say hi. I was thinking the other day of what I would say this blog is about and basically it's just about life. Pretty much mine. But, I hope it can be interesting to others and that you do enjoy reading it.

Last night three parades crashed down St. Charles...and one of them was Muses! I'm so excited to post about my Muses experience...soon.

Have a great weekend everyone!  And Thanks!

February flowering trees outside my window

Krewes of Oshun and Pontchartrain

Well, Carnival is upon us and going full swing. Starting tonight there is at least one parade that I want to catch every single day until Mardi Gras (next Tuesday). Tonight we're taking it easy with Krewe of Druids. Tomorrow, however, there is Knights of Babylon, Krewe of Muses, and Krewe of Chaos going through Uptown. There's also Krewe of Rokkus going through the French Quarter with Better than Ezra and Pat Green rocking out on their floats. But, since i'm probably going to pee my pants I'm so excited over Krewe of Muses I'm going to stick Uptown. Plus, the parades are literally two blocks from my house so I can run around anywhere I want and still make it home very easily.

Now that we've gone to our fair share of parades I am beginning to work out a system. It's complicated. Do I bring my camera and be that girl who takes photos and gets hit in the face with a string of beads? They really hurt! Also who can get a good photo with all the movement and excitement? Actually my friend Jeffrey Dupuis definitely can and I suggest you check out his page! Back to me, if I have my camera i'm super concerned the whole time about beer splashing onto it or me dropping it to catch a stuffie. So, I've only taken photos of a few parades. To get ready for the craziness coming up i'll post a few photo of Krewe of Oshun and Krewe of Pontchartrain. Enjoy!

Krewe of Oshun...

Krewe of Pontchartrain...

This last photo is me wearing only the green, gold, and purple beads that I caught. Every single other color went to Ben to wear. That should show you how many beads one person catches at a single parade. There are literally hundreds on my living room floor right now. Annnnd, those are the cups we caught after giving away a handful to friends. Can't wait to catch myself a sparkly high heel or vuvuzela at Muses tomorrow!